Questions
by TMBlue
Summary: Three days after the final battle at Hogwarts, Ron and Hermione begin a game of questions...
1. Three Days Later

**Questions**

**Chapter 1 - Three Days Later**

_**May 5, 1998**_

Stars filled the sky, their glow reflecting off the pond near the Burrow, the pond that Hermione could see from Ginny's bedroom window. She couldn't stop looking at the stars. It wasn't as if she hadn't seen them in a while. It was one of the few advantages to living in the woods, in the middle of the dark. You could always see every star shining so bright that you didn't even need a lantern or lamp to light your way.

But being here now, safe and home, or what she had come to think of as her second home over the past several years, these stars seemed to reassure her and to calm her.

There was a soft, almost inaudible knock on Ginny's half-open door and Hermione turned, knowing who it would be before she saw him. His red hair stood out in the moon and star lit room, his blue eyes glowing like two marbles in his head.

"Hi," he said softly.

"Hi," she returned, just as softly. She walked across the room to join him by the door.

"Where's Ginny?" Ron asked, his voice raspy like he'd just spent the weekend at a Quidditch match screaming.

"In the loo," Hermione said, her eyes fixed on Ron's as he nodded slowly, staring down at her.

"I was about to go to bed. Mum wanted us all to get some sleep." Ron grinned a little and rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you would tell me the same thing if I gave you the chance." His face cracked into a full smile now and Hermione couldn't help her lips from moving up into a grin as well.

"I'm not tired, actually. I don't think I'll be able to sleep soon," Hermione said, her eyes never leaving Ron's.

"Me either. I knew you would be awake."

"How?"

Ron shrugged. "Dunno. I just did."

She smiled up at him and he shifted his weight slowly from one foot to the other nervously. He looked away from her for the first time since entering the room.

"I thought maybe you'd like to come up... you know, to talk or whatever. It's quiet in the house... and we haven't really had much time to just... I dunno." He shrugged again and Hermione smiled.

"Of course."

"Okay. I'll just go change out of these clothes then." He backed out of the room and started up the stairs, turning around on the second stair. "5 minutes?" he called down to Hermione.

She nodded, looking out Ginny's room into the hallway. "Okay."

He turned and headed up the dark stairway to his room at the very top of the house. His room wasn't exactly tidy. In the three days since they had returned home he hadn't been especially careful about putting clothes away or keeping his belongings in order. His rucksack still sat in the middle of the room, only half unpacked from their year-long world-saving journey. He smiled when he saw the bag there, thinking that Hermione was sure to scold him for not unpacking it yet. But somehow he couldn't bring himself to straighten the mess before she came up. If he was really being honest, he wanted Hermione to scold him for the mess. He shook his head at that thought and began undressing.

The only clean clothes he had now were the ones he had left behind and his Chudley Cannon's t-shirt which had seen better days... but not since 2nd or 3rd year he guessed. So he settled on the bright orange hole-filled t-shirt and a pair of pajama pants that were much too short on him now. He looked down at his exposed ankles in shock. Had he really grown that much since he had been gone?

He glanced to the clock on his night table, hoping five minutes had passed already. It was strange, really, needing Hermione by his side all the time. It wasn't really a new feeling. He always wanted her with him. When she was there, everything made sense and everything felt right.

He sat on the edge of his bed, his elbows on his knees, waiting the last few moments before she would knock on his door. He smiled slightly to himself, remembering a night a long time ago when she had come down from the girls' dormitory at Hogwarts in her night dress at the same moment that Ron had walked down from the boys' dormitory in his robe and pajamas, both of them looking for something they had left in the common room earlier that night. Both of their faces had turned bright red as they awkwardly grabbed their things and returned to their dormitories. But Ron hadn't forgotten the brief glimpse of her in her pale pink dress, her eyes half-shut, moonlight creating a glow around her where the lace cuffs and edges of her dress danced over her pale skin.

Suddenly, he was returned to his bedroom and to the present as a soft knock jolted him from his memory. The knock was as light as his had been on her door earlier. He wasn't sure if they were being quiet to avoid waking anyone at the Burrow or if they just didn't want to disturb the calm that had finally begun to settle around the house this morning.

Ron stood to open his door. Hermione wore a t-shirt and pajama pants; not exactly, what he knew from that night long ago, the same thing she slept in when he wasn't around.

Hermione stayed still outside Ron's room for a moment when Ron backed up to let her in. He wondered briefly if she thought this was weird. It wasn't as if she had spent a lot of time alone with him in his room, especially not this late at night. But he didn't care right now, and he realized she must not have either when she smiled at him and walked past him into the room, settling on the edge of the bed where Ron had just been. He closed his door slowly and joined her, sitting to her left, close but not touching.

They sat in silence for a moment before Hermione spoke.

"I've been wanting to spend some time alone with you." She wouldn't look at him, and he realized the implications of what she had just said.

"You have?" The pitch of his voice shifted up a bit unnaturally as he spoke and he closed his eyes to the sound, embarrassed.

She nodded, but his eyes were shut just long enough to miss it.

"I feel like we have things to talk about... but when I start to say something, I realize I don't know what to say... exactly. Do you know what I mean?" She looked over at him now and he nodded his reply.

"Maybe we should play a game," Ron suggested.

"What kind of game?" A glimmer of excitement passed through her eyes as she turned more fully to the side to face Ron directly.

"Well," Ron began as he scooted back against the wall and stretched his legs forward, most of his lower legs hanging off the side of the mattress. "I'll ask you a question, anything, and you have to answer it. Then you can ask me anything you want to."

"Like what?" Hermione asked. Ron wiggled his ankles around, accidentally pushing Hermione with his knee. She responded by shoving his shins to the right, away from her, and Ron shivered a little at the contact of her bare palm against his bare legs that poked out at the bottom of his too-short pajamas. Ron crossed his arms over his chest and concentrated on coming up with a question, trying not to look so affected by her brief touch.

Hermione slowly got up off the bed, and Ron looked up, startled, hoping she wasn't going to leave so soon. Maybe this 'questions game' was a bad idea... But she didn't leave. She walked around Ron's legs and moved to his opposite side, climbing back onto the bed and sitting Indian style against his headboard. Ron smiled briefly, then looked down again and continued to think.

"I've got something." Ron looked up quickly to see Hermione watching him curiously from the head of the bed.

She waited silently for him to go on.

"Well..." Ron adjusted his body on the bed, trying for a more comfortable position. He attempted to move to the foot of the bed where he could stretch out further, but his long legs prevented him from being able to comfortably sit facing Hermione while keeping his feet out of her lap, so he got on his knees and crawled up to the head of the bed, leaning against the headboard to Hermione's right and stretching his legs down the length of the bed towards the foot board. He sat close to the edge of the bed, but could still feel Hermione's right knee against his left thigh. When he spoke again, it was slightly softer than before, now that he was so close to her.

"You remember in sixth year, Potions class... the Amortentia..."

As Ron trailed off, Hermione got a funny look like she was trying to hide something. Her expression could have been nervousness, but she was doing a good job of disguising it. Ron continued...

"You got a whiff of it and started to say what you could smell... you listed two things, grass and parchment I think it was?"

Hermione nodded, but now her face had gone a little more pale and she wasn't blinking, just staring forward as if waiting for him to get it over with, like ripping off a band-aid.

"You stopped before you could say what the third thing was. I've always wondered what it was. So... what was it?" Ron finished rambling and looked straight into Hermione's eyes, waiting for her answer. He realized suddenly that whatever it was, she both remembered it well and certainly didn't want to tell him what it was, even now. She laughed nervously and looked away from Ron.

"You really remember that?" she asked him, a little shocked, but mostly just trying to kill some time while she figured out how she was going to say this to him... Ron nodded, knowing that Hermione couldn't see him. She was staring a hole through his blanket now and her hair fell around her face, keeping Ron from being able to see her face at all. She finally turned back towards him, slowly, but didn't look directly at him. "It's funny... that you remember that."

"Not that funny. It was a secret, something you obviously didn't want anyone to know, so naturally I was curious."

"Naturally." Ron smiled at her sarcasm, but he was beginning to feel a little nervous now as well. What if she had smelled something that he really didn't want to hear about? If it was anything to do with Viktor Krum, he certainly hoped that she'd keep it to herself. But then again, that had been a long time ago, and Ron felt more certain now than ever that Hermione felt something resembling what he felt for her. After all, she had kissed him... and he'd kissed her back. He smiled a little at the thought of it. Oh, if only she felt for him a fraction of the way he felt for her right now...

"Well, if you must know... Oh, God..." Hermione wrung her hands and leaned back against the headboard with a clunk. "I... I smelled..." Her voice trailed off and Ron had to strain to hear her next words. He swallowed hard and leaned a bit towards her, waiting as patiently as he could until finally she said... "I smelled your hair."

Ron couldn't have been more shocked. He hadn't heard her right. How could he have?

"Did you say... my _hair_?" He said it loud enough to be sure that she had heard him correctly; that way, if she nodded or said yes, he'd have no way of being confused about it this time around.

Her quick, single nod was all Ron needed. His eyes went wide and he couldn't move. She had smelled his hair!

"You smelled my hair."

She said nothing, simply sat with her hands in her lap, her eyes focused intently on her fingers.

"You... smelled my hair!"

Hermione's head snapped up, her eyes slightly narrowed. When he had suggested this game, she had been concerned that something might come out, something embarrassing that she'd rather not tell him. But the prospect of being able to ask him anything freely had been too much to pass up. But now she didn't care about that anymore. If he was going to laugh at her, she was done playing games. But then she saw his face. Her angry eyes met his shocked ones. But there was something else... he seemed... was overjoyed the right word? Couldn't be... it was just a silly-

"It's Amortentia, Hermione! Do you know what that means? It's the strongest love potion in the world... a love potion! Anything you smell in there..." Ron's eyes widened, if possible, even more. "_You _smelled _my _hair!" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Of course I know what Amortentia is, Ron. Honestly, I'd think you didn't know me at all. I do read you know..."

Ron chuckled a little at this.

"Oh yes, I know you read, Hermione..." He smiled at her now, and she gave up trying to be mad or irritated. She was tired of covering up for herself. Now he knew and she was just going to have to get used to it. She had found the courage to kiss him, hadn't she? She wasn't about to go on dancing around everything with him. It was about time some things got out in the open, if they were ever going to move on with... whatever it was they were going to move on with.

"Whatever. So what? I smelled your hair in a love potion. Next question." Hermione sat back now, her arms crossed over her chest.

Ron couldn't stop grinning. He knew it was her turn now so he waited for her to ask him something. He didn't have to wait long.

"Why were you so angry at the Yule Ball?" Hermione's question was much more direct than Ron's had been, and his grin immediately fell from his face and was replaced by a nervous wide-eyed expression, his skin paling. Hermione continued... "You said that you thought it was wrong of me, to be friends with an 'enemy'. But I never thought you were telling the truth. You couldn't have been angry about that. You knew I wanted Harry to win the Tournament, and you did want Viktor's autograph as I said then. So why were you so angry?" Hermione waited patiently for Ron to answer, but his skin was now rapidly turning the color of a radish.

"What kind of a question... I mean..."

He stumbled over his words, wishing he could somehow back out of this, but realizing that she had just answered a really difficult question, and if she could tell him that she had smelled his hair in a love potion, he really should be able to tell her he was jealous of Viktor Krum, right? He took a deep breath and stared down towards the foot of the bed as he softly started to explain something he had hoped would just vanish into thin air over time...

"I was jealous. He... everyone loved him, didn't they? And he was good at everything... besides saying your bloody name." Ron snarled at the thought and Hermione sighed, hoping this wasn't going to turn into an argument and deciding to ignore his comment. "And anyway," Ron's voice softened again as he continued. "I didn't know you'd be coming in with him. It was a bit of a shock to see you... well... you seemed so happy. And it wasn't..." Ron gulped. This was the hardest bit... "It wasn't me who was making you happy."

The room instantly fell into a horribly awkward silence. Ron decided that it was better to keep rambling than to sit through this, unable to even glance over at Hermione to gauge her reaction.

"And... you said... you told me to ask you to the ball first, and not as a last resort. But... I did ask you, didn't I? I mean, yeah, it was a bit lame and I pretty much turned the whole thing into a joke... that was... well it was hard! I couldn't even ask a girl I didn't know to go with me, much less my best friend." Ron shifted uncomfortably against the headboard, still staring forward. "And anyway, I guess Krum had already asked you by that point so..."

He chanced a glance at Hermione and was shocked to see that her eyes had filled with unshed tears, and she wasn't looking directly at him either.

"Oh! Damn it! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. It's really silly. I mean, that was three years ago, wasn't it? So it doesn't matter. None of this matters anymore. Forgive me."

Hermione's eyes jumped up to meet his at his sincere apology.

"Ron," she sniffed. "It does matter... because... I only went with Viktor because no one else asked me."

"Neville asked you, Hermione."

"Neville asked me after Viktor. And I didn't mean _no _one else... I meant..." Hermione trailed off and looked away again.

"I know I was a prat that night, and I'm really sorry that I ruined things for you. You were having a good time and I... I'm just sorry it happened is all."

Hermione nodded slowly and sniffed again, but her eyes had dried a bit.

"Ron, I hoped _you _would ask me," she said, barely above a whisper. Ron froze and listened intently as she continued. "When Viktor asked me... well... like you said, everyone liked him. All the girls wanted to go with him. And I guess it made me feel good when he asked me. Why would anyone think of me over everyone else? I'm just a plain, bookish, know-it-all who..." but Ron interrupted her.

"Plain? What are you on about?"

Hermione blushed, unable to meet Ron's eyes.

"You know what I mean, Ron. I'm not beautiful. I'm just..." but Ron interrupted her again.

"How can you say that? You can't mean that." He was truly puzzled. He thought Hermione was beautiful. How could she not see that in herself?

"Ron..."

As if it wasn't embarrassing enough telling Ron about the potion, it just seemed to keep getting worse and worse. She knew she wasn't gorgeous, at least not like Lavender and Parvati who paid more attention to their makeup and hair than they did to their exams. She was never the girly type, and she knew that her bushy hair, constant reading, and lack of makeup wasn't a good combination when it came to trying to get a date. But she hadn't ever really concerned herself with that kind of thing before. And now, thinking back on the night of the Ball, she knew that she had changed her appearance because of what was expected of her. Sure, she liked feeling pretty. It was one of the best feelings in the world, but it was just for one night.

"Hermione..." his eyes gazed into hers as she looked up at him, her eyes still watery from earlier and from the general direction of the conversation they were having. Ron hadn't planned to say the things he now felt like he had to say tonight. He wanted, more than anything, to be with Hermione. He had known that for such a long time. But he had never planned to reveal so much about his love for her in such a short period of time. But if she didn't think she was the most beautiful witch he had ever seen, he had to clear that up right now.

Hermione bit her lip, waiting for Ron to go on. A list of possible things that he could say ran through her mind. _What if Ron really does think I'm pretty?_ But she shook that thought away immediately. Even if he does, he snogged Lavender for half of 6th year. I can't compare to her that way. Hermione's eyes narrowed at just the thought of Lavender Brown. But Ron's soft, gentle eyes finally blinked and he somehow found the courage to go on speaking.

"I think you're beautiful." Hermione took in a quick breath at his words. She hadn't heard him right... She couldn't have...

"You... you do?" She couldn't look away now. Nothing was going to ruin this.

"Of course." Ron cleared his throat. "I had no idea that you... I mean... that you didn't know I thought..." Ron looked away, his ears burning.

Hermione wiped at her eyes and brushed her hair out of her face as she let Ron's words sink in. He thought she was beautiful! All this time, and he really thought that about _her? _She wondered when it had started, and if he had been keeping anything else from her that she might find out tonight. She had spent so much energy and time worrying and crying over Ron Weasley, hoping that the only person she had ever loved would somehow love her in return, and now, the wish that she had hoped and dreamed would come true seemed more and more likely.

"I didn't realize..." Hermione really didn't know what else to say.

A long, awkward pause filled the room, when finally, Ron spoke again, his voice scratchy.

"You can ask me something else now. Anything."

"But I just asked you a question, about the Ball," Hermione said, puzzled.

"Yeah, I know, but... you can go again. I lost my turn."

"How did you do that?"

"You lose a turn for being an idiot. And you lose two for making someone cry, so I came pretty close on that one earlier. I'd say you get at least 1 1/2 questions before it's my go again." Ron scratched his neck and grinned slightly, lightening the mood as always with a joke. And it seemed to work. Hermione smiled up at him and settled back against the wall now, her legs still crossed Indian style, both of her knees now resting lightly against Ron's left thigh. He shivered as heat from her knees radiated through his legs, and all from such a tiny little touch.

Hermione tucked another stray piece of hair behind her ear and concentrated on a question. Ron watched her, amused, and instantly thought of someone trying to come up with the correct response to a life or death question that they weren't sure they knew the answer to.

"Okay. I have something." She bit her lip, and Ron watched, beginning to get nervous. "We never really talked about this so... I... well... Lavender."

Ron gulped and his eyes widened. He should have known this would happen...

"When I first saw you with her... I guess I was surprised."

Ron knew that Hermione was glossing over that part. She had been a bit more than surprised...

"It was like you had been hiding something from us. I mean, Harry seemed as shocked as I was, honestly. I just never really knew what... what happened between you... and her. And I'm not asking you to tell me anything you don't want to. I know we said we'd answer anything honestly, but I'm not asking you to tell me anything about your relationship..." but Ron cut her off for the third time that night.

"What relationship?" Ron felt ashamed admitting that he had snogged a girl for so long without caring about her at all.

"Well... I guess that's what I'm asking. If you didn't feel anything for her, or you weren't sure if you did..."

"I was sure I _didn't_." It had to be said, but that didn't make it any easier. It certainly didn't make him feel good about it.

"Then why did you go out with her?" Hermione was pleading him to answer this question, like it had been on the tip of her tongue for over a year.

"Because..." Ron sighed again, and stared forward towards the end of his bed, fixing his eyes there, knowing he wouldn't be able to look over at Hermione until this was over with. He was really starting to worry that his ears would never return to their normal color after tonight. "Look, I guess I should just tell you everything, from the beginning."

He sighed, resigned to do this, no matter how hard it was. If Hermione was overwhelmed by his answer, that was fine. He had to get it off his chest. He had been planning to properly apologize and explain himself for a long time, and she was the one asking about it after all. Maybe he'd learn something by doing this. Maybe he'd discover that she really _had_ been as jealous as it had seemed like she might have been of Lavender Brown.

"Me and Harry were on the way back to the common room just before Christmas, sixth year, so we decided to cut through one of the tapestries to take a short cut. We ran into Ginny and Dean snogging behind it."

Hermione's eyes widened as Ron continued.

"Anyway, I wasn't especially happy to find them there. I guess I got a little too angry. Me and Gin started yelling. Harry tried to stop us from cursing each other. Then, out of nowhere, Ginny shouts that everyone had snogged _someone _except for me. Harry had snogged Cho... and you had snogged Krum."

"She didn't!" Hermione gasped, outraged. How could Ginny say something like that to Ron? Ginny knew how much Hermione cared for Ron. Though, when Hermione thought back on it, Ginny probably hadn't known at the time, and Hermione was very aware of how Ron's temper could affect one's judgment.

"Yeah... she did," Ron sighed. "When I came back upstairs, I wasn't angry about Ginny and Dean anymore. If someone had asked me to tell them what just happened, I probably wouldn't have even remembered that we walked in on them snogging. All I could think about was... you and Viktor Krum."

"Ron..."

"But it's okay. I shouldn't have done what I did. It's just... I was so jealous of him. If I was jealous before, it was nothing like what I felt after what Ginny said. So I... there really isn't a nice way to say this... I was hoping that by going out with Lavender... I'd... make _you _jealous of _her_."

Hermione's eyes widened. So it had been true! She had suspected, but never thought she could actually be right! As hurt as she was over what he had done, she couldn't help but feel butterflies in her stomach as she thought of Ron trying to make her jealous. He _must_ have felt _something _for her, even back then. He wouldn't have done what he did otherwise.

"It was so mental. I was such an idiot. I knew I was hurting you, but I _wanted _to hurt you. I wanted you to feel the way I felt when Ginny told me about you and Krum. I wanted you to know what that was like. But at the same time, I didn't even know if I could make you feel anything like that. I guess I was trying to find out. But I felt so horrid. My stomach was in knots all the time. I could barely look at you. I knew I was doing something really awful, but I couldn't stop it once I'd started it. It was so hard, trying to figure out how to undo such a huge mistake."

He stopped talking, continuing to stare forward at the wall at the foot of his bed. He blinked a few times, then looked down at his lap as he crossed his arms.

"And I can't even ask you to forgive me. I don't deserve it."

"But I _do_ forgive you."

Ron looked up at her now in awe. How could she forgive him? But she had, just then. He could hardly believe how lucky he was that she hadn't run from the room, vowing to never speak to him again.

"It worked, you know."

"What did?" he asked, confused.

"You made me jealous." Hermione blushed, but didn't look away from him.

"I thought maybe... I mean... I wondered," Ron said as a small sheepish smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"You really did hurt me, Ron. I could hardly concentrate in class. I was so angry with you. But I also felt like I had just... lost my chance... or that you cared for me even less than I thought you did before, as my friend I mean." Hermione blushed even harder.

"And you know what's funny? Remember when you sat down at the table and told everyone you were going to Slughorn's party with McLaggen? Somehow, even after everything I had done to you, that one sentence from you caused me to forget everything else but you and him, probably snogging under some mistletoe and drinking butterbeers. I wanted to run from the table, find McLaggen, and pound him into the ground."

Hermione couldn't help but grin a little at Ron's words. She remembered how much she had wanted to hurt him for hurting her, and how she had hoped that by talking about McLaggen at the table, she could figure out if Ron could maybe, possibly, feel a little something for her, something that could help Hermione justify his reasons for snogging Lavender. And now, knowing what she did about Ginny's accidental confession of her and Krum's one Christmas kiss three and a half years ago, she knew that what she had hoped for really had been true, even then.

"Ron... I feel really foolish. I could have told you how I was feeling..."

"No, Hermione. It's completely my fault. You invited me to Slughorn's party, remember? I just ditched you and never gave you any explanation."

"If you had said something, you would have found out that I didn't _snog _anybody. Viktor kissed me after the Ball, a kiss which I didn't even want to reciprocate. I told Viktor I would be his friend, but that I wasn't interested in anything else."

"You did?" Ron's voice cracked and Hermione tried to keep from grinning.

"Yes. I told you over and over that all he ever was to me was a friend."

"Well..." Ron scratched the back of his neck, unsure of how to proceed. Hermione quickly thought of a way out of this for him...

"Your turn."

"Huh?" Ron's puzzled eyes met her warm ones.

"To ask me something."

"Oh!" Ron gave her a half-smile as they fell into a much more comfortable silence than before while Ron tried to think of something to ask her.

He knew he could probably think of something really good, something she was probably nervous to discuss, but he decided that it was worth it to forfeit his turn in favor of something lighter, something that could make them laugh to break the tension of the conversation thus far. And if anyone could turn an awkward situation into a joke, it was Ron.

"What did you think when you first saw Grawp?"

Hermione had clearly not been expecting a question like this.

"Grawp?"

"Yeah. I know when I saw him, my first though was, 'bloody hell Hagrid, you've really gone over the edge with this one.'"

"Ron!" Hermione tried to hold back her giggles. "I was excited, honestly. I mean, sure it was a bit scary, and against all sorts of school rules."

Ron nodded enthusiastically, his eyes widening in fake agreement. Hermione leaned forward and punched his upper arm playfully.

"Hey!" Ron rubbed at the spot, faking injury.

"Oh, stop it. You're behaving just like Malfoy." Hermione really giggled now at Ron's appalled reaction. But he suddenly realized the incident she was referring to and began to laugh, completely forgetting his arm.

"Buckbeak really was brilliant that day."

Hermione smiled.

"So, you were telling me what you thought of Grawp," Ron continued.

"Right. Well... it was just such a rare opportunity to get to see and interact with a giant."

Ron snorted.

"Interact? More like fear being pummeled to death."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I know it wasn't wise what Hagrid did, but it was interesting. And I understand why he did it. He just wanted to rescue Grawp, to give him a better life." Hermione shivered a bit and rubbed her bare feet with her hands, then tucked them under her body to warm them.

"Are you cold? It's always a bit drafty in here. You can get under the blanket if you want to. It's clean, I promise." Ron grinned at her and she blushed as she scooted wordlessly around so her back was against the headboard again. She reached behind her for Ron's pillow and he moved away from the headboard to allow her to adjust what she needed to be more comfortable. She propped the pillow up behind her, leaving enough of the pillow out from behind her on her right so that Ron could lean against it too. Then she lifted her legs and pulled the blanket out from under her, sliding her legs under it until she was sitting with her legs completely straight in front of her, the blanket pulled up to her waist.

Ron finally leaned back against his half of the pillow, his legs still on top of the blanket. Hermione wished he had come under with her, but as soon as that thought crossed her mind, she had to look away from him, her cheeks burning, no doubt turning very pink.

"So, it's your turn now," Ron said in a scratchy sort of voice. He cleared his throat and waited patiently for Hermione to think of something. This time, it took her quite a bit longer than before. Ron thought she must either really be trying to come up with a good one or she couldn't think of anything important that she really needed to know that he hadn't told her about already. Ron started to run down the list of things he had meant to someday tell her, embarrassing things or things that he had done, ways he had hurt her in the past.

Hermione, meanwhile, wasn't thinking especially hard about her question just yet. She could hear and feel Ron breathing beside her. The lamp light was so dim that dark shadows hovered in every corner of the room and in every curve and dip in the blanket and against Ron's face. A light rain started to patter against the window, creating a gentle and soothing atmosphere and adding much needed sound to the ambiance, easing the awkwardness and nervousness that she felt at being so close to Ron. She was shivering still, but not from the cold this time. The intense feelings that she had always held in her heart for Ron were now fairly out in the open, and here she was, in his _bed_ able to ask him anything she wanted. It was brilliant.

Hermione scooted down a bit lower in the bed. She could smell Ron all over everything around her. She fought the urge to take a deep breath, inhaling his beautiful scent. It was embarrassing even sitting there thinking about it, but she felt so comforted and safe surrounded by all these things that belonged to him, and more than anything, surrounded by _him_. She realized suddenly that she would have to go sometime... wouldn't she? Ron would get tired and so would she, and he'd have to ask her to leave. She couldn't really imagine him asking her that... but he would have to, wouldn't he? Maybe if she just fell asleep in his bed without him realizing it, he wouldn't want to wake her and he'd just fall asleep next to her...

Was it really mischievous to be planning out a sleep over in Ron's room without his knowledge? Probably. But that didn't stop her from doing it, and it certainly didn't stop her from knowing that she _would _do it if it came to it. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep anywhere else tonight, and as weird as it seemed to be so attached to him now that she knew she wouldn't sleep a wink without being in his bed, she also felt overwhelmingly happy knowing that it really was true. She wondered if maybe, just maybe, Ron was thinking about something similar, plotting how he was going to fall asleep next to _her _and hope she didn't move, or hoping that she'd fall asleep and he would be able to pass off falling asleep beside her...

Finally, Hermione realized how long she had been sitting in silence thinking when she looked over at Ron and saw his eyelids already starting to droop. He glanced over at her and smiled, and she felt butterflies fluttering around in her stomach again. She wondered briefly what time it was, not really caring enough to find out, and then, remembering the game, looked away from Ron so she could concentrate on her next question.

After a few moments, Ron interrupted her thoughts.

"You still awake?" he said in a very sleepy voice.

Hermione smiled.

"Sorry, I was thinking. I... well... I've got something..."

"Okay." He turned to face her more fully, looking down at her. Hermione took a deep breath, then began...

"When you found Harry in the woods and... and you destroyed the locket..."

Ron looked away from Hermione nervously. He suddenly really wished he had never suggested this game. No matter how wonderful it had been to really get to talk to her and have a lot of his hopes confirmed, it was just too painful to even think of telling her about that night, and he knew what she was about to ask him before she even asked. There was nothing else it could be...

"I know something happened to you out there, Ron. But neither of you would talk about it. What happened?" Hermione looked straight at Ron, waiting for him to answer.

"Hermione..." he practically moaned, looking down at his hands in his lap.

Hermione felt a flutter at the way he said her name. She pushed those thoughts away though. It wasn't appropriate to thinking like that right now... was it? Not when things had turned so serious... She shuttered and waited for him to go on, hoping he would look up at her when he spoke next. He didn't.

"I know I've got to answer you, and you know I wouldn't lie to you so... I'm kind of stuck. So... I just want to... are you sure? You sure you want to ask me this?" Now he looked up at Hermione slowly. Maybe he was hoping that she would feel sorry for him and give up the question, but he knew deep down that if anything, he had just made her even more curious. She'd have to know now, and really, someday, he knew he would tell her. He just hadn't expected that day to come so soon.

Hermione nodded very slightly and very slowly. She felt bad for having to know, but all the same, she just had to know. What could it have been? What was so awful that he could barely speak of it and probably would rather her have asked him anything else in the world?

Ron sighed, looked away from Hermione for a moment, getting lost in his thoughts. Finally he returned his gaze back to her, staring at a spot just to the right of her so he didn't have to look directly into her eyes while he spoke these next words.

"I saw you..." He swallowed, shifted his body on top of his blanket, and continued. "You and Harry."

"Me and Harry?" Hermione tried to read his expression, but it was difficult... He nodded.

"You were dancing... you and Harry together. And... you were laughing at me. You said... you said that I... that I was a failure and that... that you did - and _would_ - always prefer..." Ron sighed. This was probably the hardest thing he had ever had to say.

Hermione's eyes never moved from his face. Ron picked at the blanket he was sitting on top of and looked down at his hands as he distracted his focus away from his thoughts. He finally, slowly continued...

"You preferred Harry to me, cared more for him than you ever would for me because I was nothing to you."

Hermione gasped audibly at his words, but Ron didn't look at her. He just continued, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You were together, you and Harry. You... you didn't care about me... not how things had been... not how I wished... how I hoped you... you would someday. It was like... everything I wanted was gone, I was standing alone and I was so angry. It was like I was in a trance, under a spell of some kind, nothing I've ever felt before... For a moment, I could have done what he was whispering in my ear, could have cursed Harry..." Ron's eyes started to water and he felt his stomach getting sick. He closed his eyes to the pain of remembering that night as Hermione reached gently out to touch the back of his hand. He turned his hand over immediately so that their palms were touching, fingers dancing over each other's. After a moment, he opened his eyes and chanced a glance at Hermione. Her eyes were filled with tears for the second time that night, but she was looking straight back at him.

"But Hermione," Ron said quickly, noticing how much this was upsetting her. He moved a bit closer to her, his face only about a foot away now. "It was the locket telling me those things. I don't believe that. I really don't. I know you don't hate me."

Hermione gazed up at him, hoping that he was telling her the truth. If she had made him feel that way... she felt sick thinking of it.

"Don't be upset. I didn't want to tell you this because I knew it would upset you, and really, everything is fine now. It was fine right away that night, right after I saw you again, even though you were pretty angry with me..." Ron smiled. "For a good reason, I know," he added quickly.

Hermione looked away from him again. She really didn't want to get into that tonight. She had moved past it anyway. She knew he was sorry, so sorry even that he had taken every moment they were alone together from then on as another chance to apologize for leaving them that night in the woods.

"I know I've said it a hundred times, but I really am so sorry about-"

"Ron, I've told you. You don't have to apologize anymore. I forgave you a long time ago. I know that locket made you do things you wouldn't have done otherwise. I know you felt anxious and scared and I know that you were worried that we were wasting time. I felt it too."

"But _you _didn't leave..."

"It's okay. I don't need you to explain again. I don't need you to feel bad anymore for what you did. It was a mistake." Hermione smiled up at him now, hoping it would reassure him. It seemed to. He smiled back.

"Well, I suppose I don't have anything else to say about the locket then. Really, I don't have anything left to tell you at all. I think you managed to ask every embarrassing or difficult question that I could possibly answer."

Hermione blushed and looked away.

"Sorry," she said in a tiny voice.

"No, it's really a good thing. At least now there's nothing left for you to find out about. And you're still here!" Ron raised his arms up in triumph and Hermione giggled.

"Where else would I want to be?" She quickly realized what she had said, but she didn't really care now. Ron smiled so wide at her words that she thought his face might crack.

His eyes locked tightly with hers and the butterflies that had settled a while ago in her stomach began to rapidly resume their fluttering. After a long moment, Ron looked away. Hermione had a strange feeling that he was working up the courage for something. Her heart began to beat harder in her chest in anticipation.

Suddenly, in one quick motion, Ron tucked his legs up, pulled his blanket out from under him, and slid his legs under until he was lying back against the pillow next to Hermione. He shifted down against the headboard until his head was level with hers, most of his stomach now under the blanket with her.

Hermione realized she had stopped breathing. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be. She was having a dream. She had fallen asleep in Ron's bed and now she was dreaming all this up. It just couldn't be real! But it was real. Hermione was rushed back to the present, to Ron's bed, and to his hair gently brushing her cheek as he adjusted his head on the pillow they were sharing.

"Is this okay?" he asked her, so softly that she was unsure if he had really spoken at all. But she found herself nodding her reply, not trusting her voice.

Ron wasn't quite touching her, but his left arm and leg were dangerously close, and she could sense that he was probably about to fall off the edge of the bed, trying not to touch her. She wanted more than anything at that moment for Ron to be able to read her thoughts and for her to be able to read his. If he wanted this, well, she knew she did. This was exactly what she had wanted for so long.

"Ron, you must be falling off the edge of the bed." Hermione surprised herself when she spoke. She hadn't thought her voice was going to be operational for the rest of the night.

Ron chuckled.

"'M okay." His sleepy eyes were drooping even more, making him look almost drunk in the faint lamp light. Hermione tried to hide her grin as he let his head sink all the way into the pillow. A long moment passed and Hermione was almost sure that Ron was asleep, but then he started to shift under the blanket until his left leg really was touching her right one. But when he suddenly realized how close they were, his eyes shot open and he adjusted under the blanket, moving a bit away from her.

"Ron, do you want me to go?" Hermione whispered. Ron turned ever so slightly towards her. She thought that she could see the deep red blush from earlier returning to his face and ears.

"No," he said, not quite looking at her.

"I don't want to go either," Hermione whispered. Ron turned over more on his side, which put him farther away from Hermione, but now he could look right at her. She felt shivers up her back and down her legs, and she realized she was shaking slightly. She tried to hold her breath, hoping Ron wouldn't notice. But she suddenly noticed that he was shaking too, his body twitching and his teeth almost chattering as his eyes fixed on hers.

Ron knew what he was about to do, and he had no idea how he was going to muster the courage to do it... but he was going to. He had decided that now. It was final.

Hermione thought she should say something, but she had no idea how or what to say. And as Ron continued to stare at her, she felt like all the words she had ever learned had just escaped her, and come tomorrow, she'd have to relearn English from the very start.

After what seemed like hours, Ron slowly inched towards her, and she felt herself moving towards him as well. It was hard, sliding across a pillow, and she knew it must look horribly awkward to watch them both slowly tilt their heads in odd positions so their bodies never touched but... their lips finally did.

Hermione's eyes shut tight, the butterflies in her stomach doing a gig. Her body seemed to tingle all the way from her head to her toes. She remembered this feeling from their first kiss.

Ron felt quite the same way, his skin tingling all the way to his toes. He moved his lips against hers a little, remembering their first kiss in the Room of Requirement, and focusing everything he had on recreating that moment now. He slowly moved his hand up to cup her cheek and she copied his movement, her hand shaking a little as her fingers ran along his jaw and neck.

The rain outside the window began to pound harder, which they were both grateful for as their hearts were beating so loudly that they were sure the other would be able to hear. The kiss continued, soft and gentle, but so perfect, with no fear or desperation mixed in this time. It was only them. They were the only two people in the world right now. That's exactly how it felt until their lips finally parted, only moving away because their lungs needed air.

They both breathed heavily, their eyes still mostly shut, Hermione's hand now resting on the back of Ron's neck and his hand now tangled in her hair. Ron rested his forehead against hers and suddenly, Hermione leaned into him, resting her head on his chest. Ron's eyes popped open and a grin slowly made its way across his face as Hermione moved her hand down from behind his neck to slide across his ribs and hold his side.

Ron shifted under her a little, moving to lie on his back and snaking his arm under her so she could rest her head on his shoulder. Hermione sat up a bit at his movement, and Ron was terrified that she was going to move away or suggest that maybe this wasn't such a good idea and she should probably head back down to Ginny's room now. But as soon as Ron's arm stretched out, Hermione settled back down, her head on his shoulder and her arm across his body, holding a bit of his torn Chudley Cannon's shirt in her fist. Ron tentatively wrapped his left arm around her, resting his hand on the middle of her back. There they stayed for a long time, their hearts pounding in their chests. Ron could feel Hermione's heart beating against his side where her whole body was tightly pressed and he was sure she could feel his too. It was strangely comforting, feeling her heartbeat, hearing it like it was almost coming from inside his own body.

Hermione's eyes were closed and her breathing slowly began to deepen enough to make Ron wonder if she had fallen asleep. He reached his right hand out to his side, feeling for the nob on the front of his lantern and turning it, darkening the room so only the outside light radiated up from the ground floor of the house.

"Goodnight, Hermione," he whispered as he returned his right arm to the edge of the bed, nearly off the side. Feeling unusually brave, he turned his head slightly and placed a long kiss on the top of her head through her thick hair. He attempted to remain there after the kiss, but breathing in was difficult as stray strands of her bushy hair tickled his nose each time. He chuckled and moved back just enough so that he could breathe properly.

"Goodnight, Ron," she whispered in return, and Ron could hear the smile in her voice.

He pulled the blanket up a bit around them, then rested his right hand on Hermione's arm, gently moving his fingers across her skin. She adjusted her arm slightly on his chest as his fingers tickled her skin.

As Ron's eyes finally shut, the last thought that ran through his head was _I love you_, and he spent his final conscious moments wondering if he had actually just spoken out loud.


	2. A Secret Place

**  
Chapter 2 - A Secret Place**

_**May 6, 1998**_**  
**  
Ron's eyes cracked open, then squinted nearly shut again as the sunlight from his window hit him right across the face. He slowly realized that his left arm was asleep and his left leg was much hotter than the rest of his body. He tried to shift, confused, but when he inhaled and a bit of bushy hair tickled his nose, the night before rushed back to him. All the odd sensations he felt upon waking now had quite logical explanations.

His left leg was so hot because Hermione's left leg was completely draped over his. His left arm was asleep because it was wrapped under and around Hermione, his hand resting on her back. A smile spread quickly across his face. Hermione was asleep in his bed. _He _had just been asleep in his bed. Hermione had stayed the night in his room!

He knew his heart must be beating so loud that it would wake Hermione any second now. Then it dawned on him that Hermione must be uncomfortable with his shoulder and upper arm under her neck and head. When he started to think about it, he couldn't tell where Hermione's right arm even was or where it would fit. He tried to adjust his arm slowly under her, both to hopefully make her more comfortable and to start circulation moving back through his completely numb arm. But Hermione started to shift at his movement and he instantly stopped moving as if frozen, waiting to see what her reaction was going to be. He hoped desperately that she wouldn't wake up and regret falling asleep like this...

Her eyes slowly fluttered open, and Ron could tell the moment she realized exactly where she was. Her face turned red, and she closed her eyes again, no doubt hoping he was still asleep. But he couldn't take wondering what she was thinking, so he spoke...

"Hey..." His voice was so scratchy that he wasn't sure if she had understood him until she opened her eyes again, and slowly, cautiously, titled her face up to give him a small nervous smile.

"Hi." She removed her arm from around him now and started to pull her leg away from his as well. Ron was disappointed, but then she titled her head further up towards him and locked her eyes with his. He smiled at her, fairly confident now, but the moment was broken abruptly by the sound of footsteps getting closer and closer to Ron's bedroom door.

Ron jolted upright, Hermione falling completely off him. His eyes widened, and he stared down at Hermione, watching as she came to the same realization he had just come to: his mother was coming upstairs to wake him for breakfast.

Hermione jumped up and out of the bed.

"What do we do?!" she whispered frantically.

Ron's eyes darted around the room randomly, trying to land on some hiding spot or object that might spark an idea.

Thump, THUMP, THUMP!

She was practically right outside the door now.

Hermione locked eyes with Ron and mouthed "Cough!"

Ron's eyebrows furrowed.

"Do it!" Hermione whispered urgently.

Ron let out an extremely loud, extremely fake cough and Hermione turned on the spot, Disapparating from his room, her "pop" covered by Ron's coughing fit which continued until his mother knocked three times softly on his door, paused, and opened it slowly.

"Ron," she said, surveying the scene. "Are you alright?"

Ron was still sitting in the middle of his bed, his covers twisted around his legs, his eyes so wide they looked as if they were moments from popping out of his skull, and his fist to his mouth as he swallowed, choking a bit from his dramatic fake coughing. He cleared his throat and tried to regain his composure.

"Yeah, mum." He nodded. "Fine. Just... a bit dusty up here..."

Ron's mother stared at him for a moment, clearly still a bit unconvinced. But finally, she moved to back out of his room.

"Well, breakfast is ready." And she disappeared.

Ron flopped back on his bed with a relieved sigh, thanking the empty room for his luck at falling in love with such a smart witch...

********************************************************

Hermione Apparated straight into Ginny's room and came face to face with Ginny, fully clothed, and looking very amused.

"So, have a good sleep?" she asked, with a grin.

But Hermione ignored her and crossed the room to get her clothes from her trunk. Ginny watched Hermione's back for a moment, then chuckled.

"Ginny!" Hermione squeaked, whirling back around to face Ginny, as she heard Mrs. Weasley's footsteps coming back down the stairs. But Ginny just chuckled again.

"It's okay," Ginny whispered. "She already came by."

Hermione's eyes widened and she gasped.

"It's fine. I told her you were out for a walk. But you'd better Apparate outside and come in through the front door in a few minutes."

Hermione threw her arms around Ginny. Ginny patted Hermione on the back, smiling.

"Thanks," Hermione whispered as she quickly dressed and waited for Mrs. Weasley's footsteps to disappear the rest of the way down the stairs until they could no longer be heard. Then Hermione turned on the spot and vanished from Ginny's room with a "pop".

*******************************************************

Ron dressed quickly and headed downstairs for breakfast, pausing briefly outside Ginny's bedroom door to see if he could hear Hermione inside. It was completely silent, so he continued down the steps, trying to hide the grin that had been plastered across his face ever since his mother had left his room.

He rounded the corner into the kitchen and scanned the room, but neither Hermione nor Ginny were at the table yet. Only his father was there, sitting at the head of the table and eating silently. So Ron took a seat in the middle of the table and started serving himself sausages and eggs as his mother sent bacon and buns from pans to plates with her wand.

"Mum, have you seen Hermione this morning?" he asked through a mouthful of food, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"No, dear," she answered, turning around now holding a large plate stacked high with food. "Ginny told me she'd gone out for a walk early this morning."

"She did?" Ron asked, swallowing his food. He continued, failing to notice that Ginny had appeared behind him, smirking. "Well... maybe I should just... er... go out and try to find her. Someone should let her know breakfast is ready." Ron shot a nervous glance towards the stairs as Ginny moved to take a seat next to him. She began to load her plate with food as she spoke...

"Ron, you don't look like you got much sleep last night."

Ron turned sharply towards Ginny, glaring at her. She didn't meet his eyes.

"I'm fine," Ron said through his teeth.

"You sure? You don't seem fine." Ginny smiled down at her plate as she began to tuck in to her food as if nothing was happening.

Ron looked down at his plate and stabbed his fork into a sausage angrily. He knew his face was probably bright red by now.

"I said I'm fine, Ginny," he mumbled through his teeth, shoving the sausage into his mouth. Ginny decided it was time to have a little pity for her poor brother, so she looked over at him while their mother had her back turned. Ron glanced up, catching her bright eyes with his angry ones.

Ginny tilted her head towards the front door, hoping to indicate to Ron that Hermione was indeed outside. Ron furrowed his eyebrows, not understanding her. Ginny rolled her eyes and went back to her food. If he was going to be that thick, she wasn't going to waste her time.

Just then, the front door opened with a creak. Ron looked up expectantly and was relieved to see Hermione walk through the door, fully dressed.

"Good morning, Hermione," Mrs. Weasley said with a small smile.

"Oh! Good morning. I must have been out much longer than I realized." Hermione moved into the kitchen just as Harry came down the steps.

"That's alright, dear. Come have some breakfast." Mrs. Weasley motioned towards the table, then turned back to a pot of something cooking on the stove.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."

Ron smiled and tried to meet her eyes, but she seemed to be avoiding his. Just as Ron finally thought Hermione was going to take the empty seat to his left, Harry took it instead, sleepily leaning over his plate and beginning to fill it with food. Ron narrowed his eyes at Harry, but Harry was still too asleep to notice. So Hermione moved to take a seat across the table from Ron.

At first, Ron was quite glad that Harry had taken the seat to his left. Hermione was in front of him now and he could watch her more discreetly, but he quickly reversed his feelings on the matter. He was sure his eyes and face were much too red for his liking, and Hermione wouldn't look up at him, making it really hard for him to read how she was feeling. He hoped it was just because his family was in the room that they were acting this way. He had to admit, it was probably the most awkward breakfast he had had in a long time.

Finally, after a completely silent breakfast, he couldn't stand it anymore and stood from the table, hoping Hermione would soon follow him. But Ginny decided to break into conversation just as Ron was excusing himself from the table. He heard Hermione joining in and vaguely heard something about Professor McGonagall as he started up the stairs, but he wasn't really listening. He headed straight to the bathroom, hoping to take a nice long shower before anyone else needed to use it.

He finally climbed out of the shower and reached for the only towel left in the room. It was much too small for him now, but he used it anyway, awkwardly trying to wrap it around himself. He eventually gave up drying off and put his clothes back on, his hair and back still very wet. He walked out of the shower, steam pouring out after him, and nearly ran directly into Hermione who appeared to have been pacing outside the bathroom door. She jumped at the sight of him and looked away a bit.

"Sorry, I..." She trailed off.

"S'ok. Did you need to use it?" His heart began to beat faster at just the sight of her, and he took a deep breath, trying to slow it before she could hear it.

"No. No, that's fine. I was just... I thought you were in there because... well, Ginny is in her room and Harry is in his. No one else is here so..." She trailed off again.

"Well... do you... do you want to go for a walk?" Ron brushed some wet hair out of his face. "Wait, you already did that, didn't you." He gave her a half smile and she finally looked up at him, returning the smile. Ron felt his heart leap up a bit in his chest.

"Yeah. But that's okay. I really didn't go very far..." Her cheeks turned a bit pink. "I'll just get my shoes."

"Yeah, me too," Ron said, already turning to go up the stairs. "I'll meet you in front of the house?"

Hermione nodded and Ron smiled as he continued up the stairs two at a time.

*******************************************************

Hermione stood on the front steps, shifting her weight from one foot to the next, her back to the front door. She had no idea why she was nervous. She had no reason to be. After all, she had kissed him. He had kissed her. She had slept in his bed! She had even heard him, at least she _thought _she had, whispering three little words that she couldn't get out of her head. Could he really have meant it? She wanted to ask him, but she had no idea how to bring it up. She sighed, thinking that maybe this stage of her life was somehow even _more _confusing than before they had ever kissed.

The screen door banged open behind her and she jumped and turned around.

"Sorry," Ron said, stepping outside. "Bloody door."

They started to walk in silence, neither one knowing where they were headed. After a while, Ron turned them to the left, starting towards a path that seemed to move down hill through the trees. They were quickly forced into single file, Ron taking the lead.

"Ron, where are we going?" Hermione asked as they ducked under some branches, the Burrow now out of sight behind them.

"I used to walk here during the summer. No one else ever came down here. No one really knows about it. I thought..." Ron paused, continuing to move through the thickening woods.

Hermione pushed her hair out of her eyes, waiting for Ron to continue.

"Well, no one will bother us here."

Hermione thought she could actually _hear _Ron blushing. She smiled, then started to think about what he meant. She wondered if he would kiss her again. She saw no reason why he shouldn't. As this thought sunk in, her stomach lurched, butterflies fluttering furiously. She was excited, but still so nervous. _You're being ridiculous_, she told herself. _You need to calm down._

Just then, Ron ducked very low under a particularly ugly looking branch, turning back instantly to warn her of it.

"Watch out! That one is nasty. Almost sliced my head open." Ron reached out and lifted the heavy branch high until it was just over Hermione's head. She smiled and walked slowly under it, careful not to snag her hair on any of the stray limbs that shot out from the main one Ron was holding.

"Thanks," she said, smiling. Ron shrugged and they continued walking in silence. Ron turned right, and brought them almost instantly to a clearing. It wasn't very large, but the trees were much lower here and the sun poured through the open middle, covering the small patch of grass in bright yellow light.

"Oh!" Hermione stepped into the clearing after Ron. "This is where you were taking us?" Ron nodded, walking around the opening, looking for a good spot to sit. Hermione adjusted her t-shirt sleeve, but felt something wet on her upper arm and looked down. A small cut on her arm was bleeding slightly. She reached into her pocket for a tissue and wiped at the spot on her arm. She didn't notice Ron was so close until his shadow covered her. She glanced up, smiling, then moved past him into the middle of the clearing.

"Hermione, what happened?" Ron asked, concerned. She turned, giving him a puzzled look. He moved closer. "Your arm!" he said, gesturing towards her injury.

"Oh, I guess one of the branches snagged me. I didn't notice." She sat down in the sun and Ron quickly joined her, still looking concerned.

"I'm sorry. We didn't have to come all the way out here. I didn't remember it being so rough."

Hermione shook her head.

"It wasn't. Perhaps you don't remember all of last year."

Hermione had meant it as a joke, but Ron's face suddenly darkened, and he looked down. Silence engulfed them for what seemed like hours, until finally, Hermione spoke again.

"I've got something."

Ron looked up at her, confused.

"A question," she added, and Ron nodded, understanding now.

"Oh yeah. Okay." He straightened up, crossing his legs Indian style in front of himself, happy to have a change of subject until...

"Do you... have nightmares?" Hermione asked in a very small voice.

Ron looked away again. He really didn't want to tell her the truth. It wasn't that it was hard to say. It was only one word, but he didn't want her to worry about him. That was when he realized that she probably had them too, and he decided to answer her, hoping that she would tell him the truth as well.

"Yeah."

Hermione nodded.

"Me too." She picked at the grass in front of her.

Ron had known this was true, it had to be. But hearing her saying it was much different. He would gladly take on all her bad dreams himself if he could relieve her of them, and he wished there was some way to make that work.

"Except for last night." She spoke the words so softly that Ron had to strain to hear her. His eyes widened.

"Me too!" he exclaimed, turning and adjusting his position on the ground. "I thought it might mean something but... now it has to!"

Hermione nodded again.

"Yeah, I know it does. I knew I wouldn't have them when... as soon as I decided to stay."

Ron stared at her incredulously. He wanted to ask why she thought it was that neither of them had had bad dreams on the night they had slept in the same bed for the first time, but Ron felt like he already knew the answer to that, and he didn't want Hermione to think that he didn't. He knew he would worry if _she _asked _him _that. He'd wonder if maybe she didn't think it meant what he thought it did...

"I think tonight I'll probably have a nightmare about your mother," Hermione chuckled. When she realized Ron wasn't following, she added, "walking in on us." And Ron nodded, his eyes wide.

"Yeah. Blimey. That could have been really nasty." He ran his hand through his still damp hair. "We'll have to remember to set an alarm next-" But he cut himself off, realizing what he was saying. He imagined how lovely it would be right now to be able to reach up and grab the words he had just spoken and shove them back into his mouth before they reached Hermione's ears. But then she nodded, and Ron changed his mind. He wouldn't take them back for anything. She wasn't shocked! She hadn't even ignored his words!

"Ron..." she started, but seemed to get lost in her thoughts, unable to actually say anything further. And Ron knew just how she felt. He couldn't think of a single thing to say that would actually be able to make it from his brain or his heart to his mouth.

Dreaded silence filled the air again, and Ron, from a sudden burst of determination and courage, decided he was going to end this now.

"Hermione..." but he was too late. She got there first, leaning as far to the left as she could, her lips brushing against his and slowly sinking into his. He returned her kiss deeply, his eyes closing and his arms moving up to wrap around her. She adjusted her position, moving to sit on her knees, but never breaking their kiss. He copied her, sitting up on his knees as well, his hands now running up and down her back. Her arms wrapped around his waist, holding him as closely as she could in her position. He moved one arm up, resting his palm against her cheek, but kept his other arm tightly wrapped around her. When they both realized how badly they needed air, they separated, breathing heavily, their chests rising and falling rapidly, their foreheads resting against each other. Ron slowly opened his eyes, staring so close at Hermione that her eyes seemed to merge into one. He smiled softly, his ears and cheeks red, but not feeling nearly so nervous now.

But Hermione had to ask something, something that had been on her mind a lot lately, especially today.

"What does this mean, Ron?" She knew how he felt for her, at least she was fairly sure she did, but she needed him to say it, to tell her what she meant to him now, not as a friend, but as something more, whatever it was they were now.

"I hope... that..." Ron inhaled deeply, exhaled, then laughed a bit nervously, his forehead still pressed against Hermione's. "I hope that it means... that we're... not just best friends anymore." Hermione smiled.

"I hope so too," she whispered. Ron returned her smile, then leaned in to kiss her again, knowing how out of breath they both still were, but not really caring.

When they finally parted again, Ron's hands were both tangled in Hermione's hair and her cheeks were very pink. He leaned back from her a bit, but didn't remove his arms completely, lowering them to the middle of her back. Her arms stayed wrapped around him almost the same way. She shifted, and Ron suddenly became aware of his knees against the hard ground. He reluctantly let go of Hermione and she did the same, both of them moving on the grass into a more comfortable position with their legs tucked Indian style. But Hermione didn't seem content with this and got up, moving towards the edge of the clearing to a large tree trunk. She sat down, leaning against the trunk and motioning for Ron to come and join her.

Ron smiled, then crawled across the ground, closing the few feet of distance between them. Hermione giggled at him crawling towards her, and when he reached her, he didn't turn to lean against the tree, but instead just kept crawling until his upper body was hovering over her. Hermione's laughter increased as he kissed her again, his palms on the ground on either side of her legs. She leaned into him, but lost her balance against the tree trunk and fell to the side of the tree, now lying on her back on the ground. Ron fell with her, his lips separating from hers, but his arms twisting awkwardly to avoid crushing her. She looked up at him now. He was completely on top of her, but still holding his weight off of her with his elbows which were now pressed into the grass on either side of her. He adjusted his weight, moving up a bit more, further away from her so that their bodies weren't touching... everywhere.

"How did we get here?" Ron asked, a grin spreading across his face. Hermione rolled her eyes, but grinned back at him.

"It's all your fault. You made me laugh."

"_My _fault?" Ron shook his head. "_You _couldn't control yourself. That tree is probably still trying to work out how it's massive trunk couldn't keep you up."

Hermione reached up and pushed Ron's chest up.

"What?" he asked, looking down at where her hands were.

"Up," she said, wiggling under him.

"Huh?" he asked, and Hermione gave him a blank stare.

"In case you forgot, you're lying on top of me." Hermione's cheeks turned red. So did Ron's.

"Oh, sorry," he mumbled, rolling off of her.

"Don't be. I just had..." Hermione sat up, rubbing her back and looking behind her... "a root digging into me."

"Oh," Ron said, clearly relieved.

There was a distant noise through the trees that sounded an awful lot like Mrs. Weasley calling Ron's name.

"Is that your mum?" Hermione asked, looking in the direction of the sound.

"Must be," Ron sighed. "Bad thing about this place. It's not far enough away to escape her calls."

Ron stood up, then extended a hand to Hermione to help her up. She took it and stood, brushing grass and dirt off her jeans.

"Better go see what's up," Ron said, turning and leading the way back out of the woods.

They walked in a much more comfortable silence than before for a bit, until Ron spoke again.

"I reckon she wants me to degnome today," Ron said, grimacing as he continued to trudge through the path, Hermione right behind him. "It's been so long. Wonder who's been keeping it up. Sure would be bad if the answer to that question is no one..."

Hermione smiled, watching Ron as he moved through the path in front of her. She had more things she wanted to talk to him about. She would just have to get him alone later. She felt her cheeks flush just thinking about it...

They finally reached the edge of the woods and exited the path, continuing up the hill and around the corner, the front porch of the Burrow now in full view. Mrs. Weasley stood on the front steps, banging two boots together, soot and dust flying off of them in waves.

As Ron walked up the steps, he had to duck out of the way of a particularly thick cloud of soot.

"Mum!" he shouted, moving past her and looking back towards Hermione, making sure she wasn't now covered in dirt.

"Sorry, dear," Mrs. Weasley said calmly, lowering the boots and turning to her son.

"Ron, there's a bunch of mail for you," she turned to Hermione, "and you, dear, on the kitchen table."

Ron looked at Hermione, raising his eyebrows.

"A bunch?" he asked his mother.

"Go on in and see," she said, returning to the boots. And just as Ron thought he was free, she shouted back over her shoulder. "And Ron, get on your boots when you've finished going through your mail. I need you to degnome the garden."

"Thought I'd gotten away for a minute," Ron said under his breath to Hermione as they entered the kitchen. As the table came into view, they both stopped dead in their tracks.

"Blimey..." said Ron, incredulously. "Never had that much all at once."

Two fairly large stacks of mail sat in the center of the table, waiting for them. Harry passed by Ron and Hermione into the kitchen from behind them. Ron pointed at the stacks of mail as he came closer to the table.

"Harry, look! Have you seen this, mate?"

Harry nodded.

"Got mine earlier. If I'm not mistaken, there ought to be some nice surprises in there." Harry turned his back to Ron, grinning. He knew what Ron was going to find in his mail, and he couldn't wait for him to find it.

Ron looked at Hermione again, then reached forward, digging through his stack. The first couple of letters were job offers at the Ministry doing things that Ron found too boring to even read about, so he pushed them aside. When he came to the third letter however, he stopped, picking up the large package and weighing it in his hands. Harry turned back around, watching Ron as he stared at the package.

"It has to be nearly a centimeter thick," Ron said in awe. "Looks like it's from the Ministry too."

Hermione looked over from her stack to Ron now, getting excited.

"Oh, Ron! Open it!" She looked over to Harry and her suspicions about what it might be were pretty much confirmed by his smile.

Ron carefully tore the package open and dumped its contents onto the table. He stared down at it for a moment, until the first paragraph at the top of the first page caught his eye and he read it over silently.

_Dear Mr. Ronald Weasley,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into the Auror program. We heard you might be interested in this position and took the liberty of sending over the required paperwork. You will find enclosed an application and several other documents that need to be filled out. If you choose to accept this position, please return the signed documents as soon as possible. Our next training session begins on May 18th. Please see the enclosed for further details. Also, you will need to purchase several items from a list you will also find enclosed._

_Congratulations and we hope to hear from you soon._

Ron stopped reading there and looked up at his friends.

"Wow..." he said quietly. "You got this too, mate?"

Harry nodded, his grin spreading even further across his face. Hermione reached out and grabbed the paper, unable to wait a moment longer to find out what was going on. She read over it quickly, her eyes darting across the page. Then she dropped it to the table, throwing her arms around Ron.

"It's great, Ron!" she said, hugging him. He put his arms around her too, still very shocked about the letter.

"Yeah," he answered simply, smiling.

"I guess you'll be starting in two weeks then," Hermione said, pulling back from Ron a bit. "You, too," she said, looking at Harry. They both nodded.

Ron wasn't in the mood to go through the rest of his mail now that Hermione's arms were around him, but when she let go, returning to her pile, Ron sat down at the table next to her and started going through the rest of his mail, his mind still on the Auror letter. He couldn't believe they really wanted him! And he hadn't even needed to do anything! Well, that wasn't really true. They had just saved the world from Voldemort, but still...

Hermione kept looking over at Ron and smiling as she looked through her mail. Ron noticed that she was pushing most of it aside, and all those letters looked a lot like his job offers. Until suddenly, Hermione stopped dead, her hands trembling as she picked up a rather thick letter herself. For a moment, Ron thought maybe she had been offered a position as an Auror as well, and his heart leapt thinking of her working with him every day, but when he leaned over to get a look, he realized it was a letter from Hogwarts. Ron furrowed his eyebrows and glanced up at Harry who was still standing at the head of the table, a glass of pumpkin juice now in his hand.

"Did you get this?" he asked, motioning to Hermione's letter. Harry came to sit next to Hermione, setting his glass down on the table. But Hermione didn't wait for Harry to read the cover. She tore open the letter and pulled out a stack of... Ron couldn't believe it. It was a Hogwarts letter. The official ones you get over the summer with instructions on what you will need to return to school for the next term. Ron let out a laugh.

"Really?" He grinned, but realized quickly that Hermione didn't see it as a joke. She flipped through the pages, reading each word with care.

"I'm surprised they are going to reopen so quickly," Harry said, catching glimpses of the school book list as Hermione paged through it.

"I'm surprised they sent us letters. And early too! They think we are going to go back?" Ron said with a chuckle.

"It's probably just an invitation, a formality, you know, in case we... wanted to? Funny that they'd send Auror acceptance letters and Hogwarts letters together." Harry chuckled a bit with Ron. But Hermione got up from the table and left the room, her letter held tight in her hands.

"Hermione!" Ron called after her, surprised. He looked over at Harry who shrugged, then Ron started up the stairs after Hermione. But he heard Ginny's bedroom door shut and lock before he reached the second floor landing, so he stood outside awkwardly for a moment, wondering if he should knock...

Inside the room, Hermione paced frantically back and forth, Ginny sitting on her bed, confused.

"Hermione, what's going on?" she asked, concerned. But Hermione just kept pacing, clutching the Hogwarts letter in her hands.

Outside the room, Ron was thinking. What if Hermione wanted to return to school? She couldn't, could she? He started pacing outside the door, getting worried...

Finally, inside the room, Hermione paused and looked over at Ginny. She thrust her Hogwarts letter into Ginny's hands. Ginny looked down at it for a moment, then looked back up at Hermione.

"So..." she began, but Hermione interrupted her.

"Ginny!" she squeaked. "I hadn't thought of it before. We had just gotten back, we were recovering from... and then... and now..." Hermione resumed her pacing.

"You're thinking of going back?" asked Ginny, only a hint of surprise in her voice.

"I don't know," Hermione said, wringing her hands. "I just don't know!"

"Well, do you want to spend another year in school?" Ginny asked.

"I... I don't know what I want." Hermione paused. "That's not true. I _do _want to go back. I want to finish school and take my N.E.W.T.S."

"Then... go back," Ginny said, handing Hermione's letter back to her. Hermione stopped, stared at Ginny for a moment, then let out a cry and ran to the door, flinging it open. Her eyes widened when she saw Ron, standing there mid-pace.

"Hermione..." he started, but she brushed past him and down the steps, going out the front door and into the yard, Ron running behind her. "Hermione!" he yelled, gaining on her.

She knew he was going to catch up to her, so she stopped, but wouldn't look at him as he moved in front of her, panting a little.

"Hermione..." Ron said, catching his breath. "You..." but he didn't know what else to say. Hermione looked down, shifting her weight nervously from foot to.

"Ron... I... I just don't know what I want. You and Harry already have your lives figured out. I'm not sure who I want to be. I could never pick a career when we all got the brochures at school. I wanted to learn as much as I could, you know, leave every door open. And now, this is a chance for me to take a year more to decide, to figure it out. And I can take my N.E.W.T.S. and..." She stopped rambling as Ron grasped her shoulders.

"You can't be serious." He stared into her eyes, waiting for her to laugh and say she was only joking. But she didn't. Ron's eyes widened and he backed up a step, removing his hands from her shoulders. "You're serious! How can you be serious!?" His angry voice cut through her, and she looked down, breaking their eye contact.

"I..." she started, but Ron backed up another step, waiting for her to say something else, and when she didn't, he turned and went back inside the house, the screen door slamming shut behind him. Hermione sank to the ground, still holding her letter, tears pouring down her face.


	3. Another Adventure

**Chapter 3 - Another Adventure**

_**May 6, 1998**_**  
**  
Ron stomped around his bedroom, his fists clinched. He wanted to smash everything in sight. It was so unfair of her to go back to Hogwarts. She couldn't leave them! She couldn't leave _him_... It was silly of her. She could take any job she wanted now, and yet she was going to return to Hogwarts for another year? Another whole year! He had to get out of his room, but he knew she was probably still outside. Or maybe she wasn't... Ron looked through his window, trying to spot her, but when he couldn't find her, he decided to take his chances and stormed out of his room and down to the front door. He shoved his feet into his boots and trudged through the front yard to the garden, ready for a good degnoming. At least he could chuck _something _across the yard...

Meanwhile, Hermione had made her way back out to Ron's spot in the woods, her eyes so blurry that she could hardly see and knew she was probably now covered in many cuts and bruises all over her arms and legs. When she finally reached the spot, she sank to the ground again, cursing quietly. Things had been going so well. Why couldn't Ron just understand?

But she wasn't just angry about his reaction. She couldn't even think about not seeing Ron for a year. She knew there would be holidays and maybe he'd get a break from training and be able to come up for a Hogsmeade weekend. But what if he forgot about her? She knew it was silly to think that he'd actually _forget _her, but he could meet someone else, someone he saw every day at training or someone that he knew would be around for him to be with while she was away. It wasn't out of the question in her mind. She knew he had feelings for her, but how long and how far could they stretch?

Hermione sniffed, trying to stop her crying. She didn't want to sit here and sulk. She wanted to spend all the time she had left with Ron, but she wondered if maybe it wasn't right. If he wasn't going to see her for a year, maybe she should just leave now and get it over with. Her tears turned to anger again as she stood up, brushing the leaves and dirt from her jeans for the second time that day.

But then her thoughts turned to her parents in Australia. She knew that the time had come to go find them. She had only been waiting for the dust to clear after the war had ended. She hadn't spoken to anyone about her plans to leave in the next few days to go and find them. She knew she had to tell Ron and Harry, but now she wondered if they deserved it. She realized she had lumped Harry in with Ron and shook her head. Harry hadn't been the one to walk away from her, to _yell _at her for doing what she wanted to do. It was her choice!

She sighed, wiping the last of her tears from her face, and began to walk slowly back through the path towards the Burrow. She would go back inside the house, pack her things, and start planning her trip to Australia. It would take her mind off everything for a while...

*******************************************************

Ron couldn't believe how quickly he had finished. He searched the garden for signs of more gnomes, but none could be found. He scratched his head. He had to remember to degnome while angry more often.

He headed back inside the house, dropping his boots on the front porch. His mother was working on a stack of sandwiches in the kitchen. She handed him one silently as he passed and he thanked her, heading up to his bedroom again.

Once in his room, he changed his clothes and sat on the edge of his bed, finishing his sandwich. He sighed, wishing Hermione was there. He wanted to go and find her, but he wondered if she even wanted to see him. He really had been a bit of a prat. He wished now that he could take it back. He knew that she only wanted to go because she wanted to further her education, and Ron knew Hermione very well. He should have known she'd want to learn everything she could. Ron found himself grinning just thinking about it. Hermione always had to know everything there was to know.

He wanted to apologize. He wanted her to know that if she wanted this, then he wasn't going to try to stop her. But he couldn't bring himself to leave his room just yet. He wanted to give her time for... well, he didn't know what for. He just didn't think he could face her yet. He didn't want to fight. He wanted to spend the time he had left actually with her so that when she left... but then a terrible thought occurred to him. What if she forgot him? What if she found someone else at school, someone smart? What if she found someone else to study with, to go to the library with, to get into trouble with...

Ron gulped and tried to push the thoughts out of his mind, but they were there to stay now. Hermione loved _him_, right? But the truth was, he knew she had some feelings for him, but he didn't know exactly what she felt. He had to find out, but just as he decided it was time to go down and find her, there was a knock on his door. He reached out and opened it and was surprised to find Hermione standing on the other side... and was she holding a bag?

"Ron..." she said, not meeting his eyes.

He opened the door wider and ushered her into his room, closing the door behind her.

"I've decided something... I... I'm going away. I need to find my parents and... and I'd rather just not bother your family with keeping me any longer."

Ron was shocked. Did she really want to leave? He knew she needed to find her parents and he had expected that she'd want to go soon to look for them, but it was just so sudden.

"Wait, Hermione. You're leaving _now_?"

She nodded.

"Wait. Just... I was on my way down to talk to you." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I was really awful to you today. I'm so sorry."

She looked up at him, and he thought he saw a glimmer in her eyes.

"Hermione... I do understand you wanting to go back to school. I mean, in a way I understand. I know you. I know you want to learn everything you can possibly learn, and finishing school is important to you, isn't it?"

Hermione nodded very slightly.

"Hermione, if this is really what you want," Ron sighed. "I _know _this is what you want. And I don't want to stop you from doing what you want."

She sniffed and looked up at him.

"It's just... blimey, I'm going to miss you." Ron scratched his neck nervously. "I... I can't imagine being without you for a whole year."

Hermione smiled now for the first time since that morning.

"I can't imagine it either," she said softly, and Ron blushed.

"Ten months."

Hermione stared at Ron, confused.

"It's only ten months you'll be gone. I have to stop calling it a year in my head. Sounds a lot longer than ten months," Ron said with a half smile.

Hermione widened her smile now and brushed some hair out of her face.

"Thank you," she said.

"For what?" Ron asked, confused.

"For understanding."

Ron nodded.

"Now," he began. "When are we leaving exactly? My room's not very tidy, as you can clearly see, so it's going to take me longer to pack than it did for you." Ron grinned at her, but she gave him a blank look.

"What are you talking about?"

"Australia," he stated, as if that cleared up everything. Slowly, Hermione started to understand. Ron wanted to go with her to Australia!

"You... you're serious?" she asked, incredulously.

"'Course. Didn't think I was going to let you go alone, did you?"

Hermione dropped her bag and threw her arms around Ron. He returned her hug tightly for a moment before she pulled back. Their arms remained around each other.

"I wasn't even going to ask you. Besides thinking you were cross with me," Hermione blushed and Ron looked away, "I know you have obligations to your family and with training coming up..."

"They'll understand. Besides, you're family too you know."

Hermione locked eyes with him, her face glowing. Ron thought of what he had said and decided that he didn't care how it had sounded. He had meant it.

"Mum and Dad think of you and Harry both as family," Ron clarified, though the truth was that he saw her as so much more as well.

Hermione smiled and dropped her arms from Ron's neck. They stepped only slightly apart, Ron letting his own arms fall to his sides from Hermione's waist.

"I don't know how long we'll be gone. I don't even know where my parents are exactly. And you have to start training in two weeks."

"I know," Ron smiled. "It's alright. I'll sign the forms and send them off today. I'll bring my books with me and get everything I need before we leave... if we have time?"

He looked to Hermione for confirmation, and she nodded.

"Did you talk to Harry about this?"

Hermione shook her head.

"I didn't think it made sense to ask him after what he's just been through. I hadn't really even thought about it actually. I don't plan to ask him though, no."

Ron grinned. He was happy to hear that she had told him first. He felt proud knowing that she hadn't even thought to ask Harry, yet here she was in his room, telling him about it.

"Okay." Ron looked around his room. "Guess I should get started."

Hermione giggled.

"You really do have your work cut out for you, don't you."

Ron gave her a fake angry glare and she laughed harder.

"I'll help you. Let me just finish packing my trunk," she said, leaning up to kiss Ron quickly on the mouth. He closed his eyes as her lips briefly touched his. And before he had opened them again, she had gone, taking her bag with her.

Ron spent the next twenty minutes practically dancing around his room, throwing various things in piles on his floor and folding other things to take with him. He rummaged through his rucksack and trunk, looking for anything he might need and stuffing all his money into a little drawstring bag to bring as well. Noticing how little he had left, he decided that he'd have to make a stop at Gringotts as well while in Diagon Alley looking for his training supplies. He had almost finished cleaning his room, at least getting everything up off the floor, when Hermione appeared in his open doorway, smiling.

"Wow, you worked fast," she said, and Ron looked up at her with a smile.

"Yeah, it wasn't so bad. But don't look under the bed," he warned, his eyes turning serious. Hermione put her hands on her hips and Ron suppressed a chuckle. He shook his head and continued his packing as Hermione walked the rest of the way into the room to help.

She wasn't sure exactly what needed to be packed, so she walked around the room picking up shirts from the top of Ron's dresser and asking him if he needed them. He answered no to nearly all of them, so Hermione gave up and sat down on the bed, watching Ron pack.

"How do you know what's dirty and what's clean?" she asked finally.

"It's an organized mess, Hermione," he said, folding a robe and adding it to the top of his bag. She grinned, surveying the room again from her spot on the bed.

"Well, that's done then," Ron said triumphantly. "Guess it's time to go and tell Mum."

Hermione gave him a sad look as he stuffed his money bag into his pocket.

"Don't worry, she'll understand," he reassured Hermione as he went for the door. "Hopefully..." he added, heading out into the hallway after Hermione. But just before he started down the stairs, he stopped. Hermione turned around, already three steps down, and looked back up at him.

"What?" she asked, coming back up the stairs.

"How are we getting there?" he asked. "No one knows what you did when we left, do they? Besides Harry and me." Hermione shook her head. "Then... well I'm sure you have it figured out."

"Well, not completely. I thought we could do one of two things. We could either go down to the Ministry and try to get a license to Apparate through a few countries - naturally we would have to make several stops because of the distance and we'd have to come up with a believable reason why we would need to travel so far - or we could go the Muggle way."

"Which is?" Ron asked, curious.

"An airplane of course." But Hermione remembered how little Ron really knew about Muggles as he continued to stare at her blankly. "It's a big... thing... that flies through the sky," she continued.

Ron's eyes widened.

"Like... an animal?!"

Hermione burst suddenly into laughter, buckling over. Ron watched her, not amused.

"Hey, how am I supposed to know?" Ron crossed his arms over his chest as Hermione's laughter subsided enough for her to continue.

"No, no. It's like a car but much bigger. They have it all worked out so it stays up in the air while someone flies it, like steering a car through the air."

Ron gawked at her.

"That sounds horrible! A flying car is one thing but this just sounds bloody mental! How does it stay up without magic?" He couldn't understand how Muggles could possibly make that work and be safe enough to use as a means of travel without the use of magic.

"It just does. They've got it all worked out, trust me. I've been on them before. They are perfectly safe."

Ron's eyes widened.

"You went up in one of those things?! When?"

"Traveling with my parents. That's the only way they can get to places that are far away. They can't just pop in like we can, can they."

Ron shook his head.

"I'll do it, but only because you say it's safe and I trust you. Sounds completely mental to me though."

"Well, it's probably our best bet. You will need a passport though. They won't let you travel without one."

"A what?" Ron asked, confused again.

"A passport," Hermione said patiently. "It's a document you take with you that says you have permission to leave the country. Just like what we need to Apparate out of England."

Ron nodded.

"So how do I get one? Wait, you need one too, don't you?"

"I already have one," Hermione said, beginning down the stairs again, Ron following her this time. "Last time I traveled with my parents I got one. You only need to get a new one every 10 years."

"Oh," Ron said, accepting her words and deciding it wasn't worth it to keep asking questions. Hermione knew what she was doing and would figure out everything that they needed to get there.

"The trouble is, it takes quite a while to get one. But, I can make you one. You just have to promise not to tell anyone I did that. It's not legal."

Ron stopped walking suddenly.

"You... Hermione Jean Granger... are going to do something... _illegal_?" He paused, remembering that she already had done a number of illegal things, including wiping her parents' memories and sending them packing. "_Again_?" he added, grinning now.

Hermione swatted his arm.

"You aren't going to raid Australia and kill a bunch of people are you?" Hermione said jokingly.

Ron stared at her, shocked. Hermione laughed.

"I'm only saying that there's no harm in making you a fake passport. It's just so we can get there faster. It's a piece of paper. They only use it so people can't do illegal things, so they can't bring things from one country to the next without permission, blah blah. But we can follow the rules without being forced to, can't we. Besides, we aren't Muggles. We just have to pretend to be for a while." Hermione nodded to herself as they reached the ground floor, clearly satisfied with her reasoning.

"If you say so," Ron said, readying himself for his mother. "Well, this is it."

Hermione nodded.

"You want me to come in there with you?"

"If you want. Might help soften the blow a little."

"I thought you said she'd understand."

"She will, but... wait. We have to get a story here. We can't waltz in there and tell my mother that you swiped your parents' memories before the war and now we have to go hunt them down and clean up the mess, can we."

Hermione looked away, a bit embarrassed.

"No, I guess we can't. We need a story then, like you said."

"Right. Come with me," Ron said, leading Hermione out of the house past the kitchen where his mother handed them both more sandwiches that they thanked her for quickly.

They stood on the porch for a second before Ron decided that they were still too close to the front door for his liking. He stepped down into the yard and Hermione followed him.

"Alright. So... let's see..." Ron thought very hard for something, some reason why they would want to go to Australia all of a sudden, but he couldn't come up with a single one that sounded good enough to warrant them running off right now. His mother was sure to argue anything he could think of by saying that they needed their rest and should wait to do whatever it was they needed or wanted to do until after Hermione had finished school, after Ron had finished his first year of training and finally got a break...

"Wait, I've got it!" Hermione exclaimed. "It's not even really a lie! We just tell your mother that my parents went _away _to Australia when I told them it wasn't safe here. We have to go and get them, which is true, but she doesn't need to know that they don't remember... anything about me." Hermione looked down, trying not to think about that. She felt her eyes prickle whenever she really thought about the fact that right now her parents didn't think they had a daughter at all. They remembered nothing from their past, and nothing about her.

"It's going to be fine," Ron said, patting her arm, trying to reassure her. "And besides, that's a great plan and it's sure to work. Don't see why we can't leave in the morning."

"Thanks," she said, giving Ron a small smile. They went back into the house and Ron went first into the kitchen. His mother was washing dishes and his father was there now too, eating his lunch. Ron was suddenly very relieved to see his father there. It would be easier with him in the room. He'd handle Ron's mother. So Ron cleared his throat and his parents looked up at him.

"Mum, Dad... me and Hermione need to go away tomorrow."

His mother dropped the dishes she was holding back into the sink and stood facing Ron completely now.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her eyes glaring into Ron's.

"Well... see, Hermione sent her parents away and... well..."

Hermione stepped forward now to help Ron.

"Mrs. Weasley, I made them leave last year. I knew Ron and Harry and I would be doing a lot of very dangerous things and I didn't want them to get hurt. We knew that many people would be after us and our families, and being Muggles, I knew they didn't have adequate protection. They have been living in Australia since last year, and now that it's safe for them here, it's time for them to come home..." Ron noticed Hermione struggling and picked up where she left off.

"So, I offered to go along with her. Didn't want her to have to go alone. But we need to go soon now that it's safe, so they can come home. They have to move back into their house in London and Hermione needs to bring them home before she goes back to..." but Ron stopped himself. He wasn't sure what Hermione wanted him to say. But when she nodded her head that it was alright, he went on. "Hermione's going back to Hogwarts this year to finish school. She wants to take her N.E.W.T.S. at the end of the year."

"Oh!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. "That's wonderful, Hermione." Ron's father nodded as well.

"So, we're leaving in the morning," Ron concluded. And to his surprise, both his mother and his father nodded their heads in understanding.

"Poor dear," Mrs. Weasley said, addressing Hermione now. "We didn't know you had to send them away, though now it makes sense. You did a good thing protecting them, even though running off like you did was... well... irresponsible." Mrs. Weasley paused for a moment, her thoughts getting lost. "Well, Ron, it's good of you to offer to go. I would have insisted on someone going along with you, Hermione."

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said politely.

"Well, how will you be traveling?" she asked, taking a seat next to Mr. Weasley.

"Well, we thought about getting Apparition licenses to travel through all the countries, but it will probably take quite some time to get them. So I thought we'd just travel the Muggle way, by airplane," Hermione said, still standing in the doorway with Ron.

Mr. Weasley perked up at this.

"Traveling by aeroplane! Ron, take good notes. That's quite an opportunity!"

"Yeah, Dad, I'm really thrilled," Ron said sarcastically.

"You'd better get packing if you leave tomorrow then. Traveling by aeroplane!" Mr. Weasley shook his head and stared off into space longingly.

"We're headed to Diagon Alley. Ron's shopping for..." It was Hermione's turn to stop talking. She wasn't sure if Ron had shared his plans yet with his parents.

"Yeah, Mum, Dad... there's something else..."

Harry chose the perfect moment to walk into the kitchen, but seeing them all standing there expectantly, he started to back out. Ron grabbed Harry's shirt sleeve to stop him from leaving.

"Me and Harry got accepted into the Auror program." Ron's mother shrieked. "We start training in two weeks..." but his voice became muffled by his mother's hug. Ron soon realized that Harry had somehow become a part of the hug as well. Their arms all tangled together awkwardly.

"Congratulations!" Ron heard his dad shout from behind his mother.

When his mother finally let them both go, Ron saw tears in her eyes.

"Mum, it's okay," Ron said awkwardly, patting her arm.

"Yes, yes, I'm just so proud of you both," and she moved away, back towards the table, fussing with her apron.

Ron's dad moved towards Harry and Ron then and slapped both on the back, then returned to his seat at the table.

"Wow, Ron, Harry, great news. Just great!" he said, grinning up at them.

"Well, we'd better get going then," Ron said, taking Hermione's hand and leaving the room. Harry followed them out.

"Where?" Harry asked as they went around the corner.

"Diagon Alley. You should come along, Harry. We're going so I can get my Auror supplies." Ron turned to Hermione. "I've just realized we're going to have to have that whole conversation again with Harry." Hermione glanced over at Harry and noticed his puzzled expression. "We have to remember to invite everyone who needs to know something into a room at once to tell them all together," Ron added to Hermione.

"What's going on?" Harry asked as Ginny came down the steps behind him.

"Brilliant!" Ron exclaimed. "Gin, come over here. We'll get both of you out of the way at once."

"Huh?" Ginny said as Ron reached over and pulled her into the group.

"Me and Hermione are going to Australia tomorrow. We're going to get her parents." Ron then turned to Ginny. "She sent them away to be safe during the war." Back to Harry. "We'd ask you, mate, but Hermione wasn't even going to ask me to go. But I'm going to study while we're down there. I'll be back in time for training." Feeling a little guilty now, Ron was about to line up another string of reasons why Harry was being left out when he realized that Harry didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, he was grinning at them.

"Right. Well, Hermione, I knew you'd be wanting to set off soon," Harry said.

Hermione nodded.

"Hermione, your parents have been in Australia all year?" Ginny asked, surprised.

"Yes. It wasn't safe here for them."

"No, I guess not," Ginny said, understanding.

"So, Harry, you want to come along to Diagon Alley?" Hermione asked.

"You're going to Diagon Alley?" Ginny interjected.

"Yeah, Ginny, getting our Auror stuff," Ron said, looking a little bored with the repeated information.

"Oh! Me and Hermione have got to..." Ginny looked to Hermione, not sure what she had told everyone about her plans for the coming year. Hermione nodded. "We need to get our school supplies."

Harry turned to Hermione, only a little surprised.

"You're going back then?"

"Yeah... I decided right away. I think it's best. I'll get to take my N.E.W.T.S. and hopefully figure out what I want to do when I finish."

Harry nodded.

"Well, I'll just go get my money bag," Harry said, turning to go back upstairs. "Ginny, you coming?" he added, looking back to her. Ginny smiled at Harry and nodded.

"We'll meet you two at the fireplace in a minute," Ginny said, taking Harry's hand and leading him up the steps.

Hermione started for the stairs as well.

"I have to get my school list," she said. Ron nodded.

"Hey, you think Harry and Ginny are back on now?" Ron asked. Hermione smiled.

"I hope so," she answered, heading up towards Ginny's room for her list. Ron went into the living room to wait by the fireplace, his mind now aching to know if his sister and his best friend were back together again now that the war was over.

Hermione appeared in the living room so fast that Ron thought for a moment that she had to have Apparated in. He smiled at her and they sat on the couch to wait for Ginny and Harry to come down. Hermione's right leg touched Ron's left one all the way from thigh to foot. Ron felt the skin under his pants tingle at the warmth. He stretched his arm out behind Hermione on the back of the couch and she leaned back against it. Ron's heart suddenly started to race. Where would they sleep in Australia? He knew they would need to stay somewhere for at least a night or two while they searched for her parents. Would they stay in a hotel? Where would they sleep? Should he get his own room? Did Hermione _want _him to get his own room? How the hell was he going to figure out what he was supposed to do without asking her, and how in the world was he supposed to actually _ask _her any of this?

Harry and Ginny stepped into the room and Hermione stood, relieving Ron temporarily of his thoughts.

"Ready?" Ginny asked, stepping up to the fireplace and taking hold of the jar containing the floo powder.

"Ready." Hermione said, tucking her school list into her robes.

Ginny tossed a bit of floo powder into the fireplace and shouted "Diagon Alley" as she stepped into the green flames. Harry went next. Ron offered the jar to Hermione and she took it, going without another word. Ron followed last, and as he zoomed into view of the others, he closed his eyes to the soot that whirled around his face.

They all exited to the alley, brushing soot off their robes. As they began to walk, Ron and Hermione fell in just behind Ginny and Harry who chatted softly to each other. The alley was much different now, much quieter. Though plenty of people bustled about, things just seemed different. Many of the shops still hadn't reopened, and some of them would be closed for good. Other shops had opened in their places, and things seemed to be grouped differently now, one shop taking care of several necessities at once to consolidate and allow everyone to find what they needed more quickly. Some things would simply not be available for a while to come, but thankfully, Ron saw a lot of the things that he needed through the shop windows. He would probably do just fine in finding everything he needed here.

To Ron's surprise and great excitement, Hermione took his hand and held it tight as they walked. Ron smiled over at her. She didn't care that they were walking through a busy shopping area. She wanted to be with Ron and didn't mind that everyone knew she was with him. He felt very proud and happy knowing that he was there with her, and not just as her friend, not the same way she always walked with Harry.

"We should hit Gringotts first," Ron said. Ginny chuckled.

"Sounds like we're trying to rob it," she said.

Hermione laughed as they headed to the bank. They went in quickly and handed over their keys. Ron shuttered as they were led to the mine car. There were still things here and there that seemed missing or broken. Hermione and Harry's faces turned grim, Ron's face paling, and Ginny looked over at them from time to time as they silently rode from one vault to the next, opening them up and loading up their money bags. Ron and Hermione made sure to get a lot of extra money for their trip.

They all returned to the lobby where Hermione exchanged most of her money and most of Ron's for Australian and British Muggle currency. They'd need quite a bit in London tomorrow and overseas. Hermione had a Muggle credit card that she knew she could use if they needed to, but she hoped they wouldn't have to. It all depended on how long they had to stay...

When they had finally finished and left the bank, Ron let out a long breath.

"Whew, glad that's over with," he said, taking Hermione's hand again as they started to walk again.

"Me too," Hermione added quietly.

Ginny didn't ask any questions as they continued through the alley, and Ron figured that Harry had already told her about most of what they had been through. He was thankful for that. Now he wouldn't have to relive those moments in telling his sister about them.

They soon came to a shop full of uniforms and robes and Harry led the way inside. Ron reluctantly let go of Hermione's hand and followed Harry over to a rack of brand new robes. Ginny and Hermione headed over to the witches section in search of new school robes.

They were all fitted and purchased what they needed and exited together.

"That was odd," Harry said, tucking his shopping bag under his arm.

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "Weird not to be fitted by Madam Malkin."

"Your robes look so sophisticated," Hermione said, taking Ron's hand. Ron reached over for Hermione's bag and she blushed, letting him take it.

"Yeah, they do. Even have that fancy stitching on the inside," Ron said as they all began walking again.

"They're just training robes though," Harry added. "They'll fit us for official ones that will look even nicer in two years when we finish training."

Ginny whistled.

"Two years. That's like going back to school," she said.

"Well, it will be worth it. It's gonna be right tough at first..." Ron trailed off.

"Our first day starts at 5am," Harry said, turning into a book store.

Ginny's mouth dropped open.

"Ron!" she exclaimed. "How will you do it!?" She put her hand to her chest in exaggerated shock.

"Sod off, Ginny. I'll be just fine, thanks."

Hermione gave Ron a disapproving look that he chose to ignore as they headed deep into the book store. Harry disappeared around a shelf up ahead.

"Harry!" Ron called out. "Where are you headed?" Ron turned the corner after Harry, but Ginny stopped at a display case that featured two of the books she and Hermione would need for school.

"Hermione, here," she said, handing Hermione copies of each of the books. Hermione thanked her and took them, tucking them under her arm as Ginny grabbed two for herself. Hermione walked on towards a second display case where she saw another of their school books.

"It's going to be fun being in the same year," Ginny said, continuing through the racks of books after Hermione.

"Yeah, I already know you'll be a better study partner than Ron and Harry ever were," but Hermione nearly ran into Ron as she said this, and he gave her a withering look.

"You really didn't have fun writing all our essays?" Ron whined.

"Not particularly," Hermione lied. Even though she'd never admit it, she really had enjoyed writing Ron's essays... well, not when he didn't even _try _to write it first... or to pay any attention whatsoever to the lectures.

"We had some good times, didn't we?" Ron continued as they walked on through the store.

"Yeah," Hermione said, giving him a smile. "It's going to be really weird not having you... and Harry..." she added, looking over at Harry, "in class with me at all this year."

"Can't believe you're really going..." Ron trailed off as Ginny grabbed two more books, handing one to Hermione.

They separated again, Ron and Harry in search of a training manual and Hermione and Ginny crossing off the last few books from their lists. Hermione went off alone for a moment to pick up some extra things for Arithmancy, and Ginny met back up with Ron and Harry at the registers, getting in the queue to check out, saving a place in line for Hermione.

"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked, looking over Ginny's shoulder.

"She'll be along. She had to get some extra books." Ginny grinned and Ron laughed. Harry just shrugged.

"'Course she did," he said as Hermione's bushy hair bounced through the crowd towards them.

Her book stack towered high above the others, and Ron reached out, taking the top half of her books in his arms.

"Thanks," Hermione said, a little embarrassed.

"I'd take the rest," he began, "but I'd probably fall over."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Ron, but soon grinned up at him, unable to pretend to be annoyed any longer. It was funny, but she found herself unable to be angry or annoyed with him at all lately. She'd feel it starting, then dissolve instantaneously like she had never cared.

Ron turned around to look up over everyone else to the front of the line, assessing how much longer he thought they were likely to have to wait. Hermione felt her heart flutter seeing Ron carrying all of her things. He still had her bag of robes over his arm with his own, and half of her books were now stacked on top of his.

"Reckon we'll be out of here in time for dinner?" Ron asked, turning back around.

Ginny shook her head.

"Not likely," she said, adjusting her stack of books in her arms. Harry reached out to take them, and Hermione watched as Ginny let him add them to his stack. She shook her now empty arms in the air, sighing. "Thanks, Harry," she said casually. "Circulation was getting cut off." She rolled her eyes. "This year is going to be hell, isn't it," she said to Hermione who nodded in response.

They waited and waited for the line to move, but it seemed like everyone in all of England had picked today to shop. Hermione figured a lot of them had just received their letters today as well and were trying to beat the rush. It was also hard to find a lot of places still open where someone could purchase a book.

It was fascinating to watch everyone talking happily to each other. It had been such a long time since any of them had seen people behaving that way.

Finally, the line started to slowly inch forward. Ginny stretched her legs out straight as they moved ahead.

"Merlin, this is ridiculous," Ginny looked to Ron. "What's going on up there?" she asked, unable to see over the crowd. Ron was the only one tall enough to see all the way to the front.

"Not much," Ron said dully. "They just opened a second register though."

Ginny sighed in relief. Ron shifted the large stack of books he was holding, trying to make himself more comfortable.

"I can take those, Ron," Hermione said, looking up at him.

"Nah." Ron nudged the top book in the stack with his chin, lining it up better with the ones beneath it. "It's not so bad." He grinned at her and she returned his smile.

Another fifteen minutes passed in silence until finally, Hermione could see the register coming into view between a few customers in front of her.

"We're almost there!" she announced happily.

"Lemme see!" Ginny nudged Hermione and peeked through the crowd in front of her, spotting the register.

Harry shuffled his and Ginny's books in his arms and Ginny reached out without a word, grabbing the top few.

"She's right," Ginny said. "Can't be long now."

Ron steadied his extra large book stack in his arms and looked down at Hermione around the top book.

"Where to next?" he asked her. "Harry and I have got to get some extra parchment and quills to take notes. We also need new cauldrons I believe. Our old ones are a little small."

Harry nodded.

"Better find those first," he said. "If we can't get parchment and quills today, I can pick up some for you while you are gone."

"Good thinking, Harry," Ron said as the line moved forward again. "It's probably getting really late."

Hermione looked at her watch.

"It's nearly 6!"

Ron's eyes widened.

"How long have we been in this line!?" But the customers in front of them stepped up to the register and Ron turned, watching with relief. "It's all over now," he said.

"Thank Merlin," Ginny said tucking the few books she was holding under her arm and reaching down to rub her ankle.

The customers in front of them paid quickly and left, and the moment the register was free, Ron slammed his enormous stack of books onto the counter, earning him a few disapproving looks from a group at the register to his left. He ignored them and reached for Hermione's remaining few books which she let him take and put up on the counter for her. Ron pulled out his money, ready to pay for all the books. But Hermione realized what he was doing and reached out to stop him.

"Ron!" She startled him and he looked down at her. "You've still got mine there."

The woman behind the register reached out impatiently for Ron's money and he quickly paid her for everything as she put the books in a bag. Ron took the huge bag and ducked out of the line, pulling Hermione with him and leaving Ginny and Harry to pay for their things.

"Doesn't matter," Ron said as they stepped outside. "We're out now."

"How much did mine cost?" Hermione asked, reaching into her pocket for her money, but Ron put his hand on her wrist, stopping her.

"Don't worry about it. Can't have been much." He smiled at her as Harry and Ginny emerged from the shop. Hermione looked up at him incredulously as Ginny came up next to them, huffing.

"I think each person in there multiplied ten times from the time we went in until now," Ginny said, tucking her money back into her robes.

"Better find some cauldrons quick, Harry. Don't want dinner to get cold." Ron led the way forward, and Hermione walked behind him now, watching him in awe. Ron had just paid for all her school books. She knew he didn't have money to do things like that. But he did it anyway. She was extremely flattered and felt her face flushing, but she knew she had to find a way to pay him back. She'd get him something nice, something he really wanted, when they got back from Australia.

"Hermione," Ron called over his shoulder, still walking forward. "Don't you and Gin need new cauldrons for school?"

Hermione nodded, then realized Ron couldn't see her. She jogged to catch up to him.

"Yeah, we do," she said, wondering if she could even risk taking his hand again. His arms were so full that she couldn't even find his hand at the moment.

"Ron!" Ginny called to him. "Just because your legs are ten feet long doesn't mean the rest of ours are."

Ginny panted, jogging ahead with Harry to keep up.

"Sorry," Ron said, slowing down a bit and noticing for the first time that Hermione was also having a difficult time keeping up with him.

"That's what happens when Ron starts thinking about food," Ginny said, falling into step again with everyone now that Ron had slowed down.

Ron rolled his eyes at his sister.

"Like you weren't thinking the same thing," he teased, but it seemed everyone was thinking it because no one complained again once they reached the store and started shuffling wordlessly about as quickly as possible, picking up the things they needed.

The check out process was far less of a bother at this store. It seemed everyone was at the book store today. They exited the shop and Ron glanced at his watch.

"6:30," he said, looking down the alley. "You think we have time to get the parchment?"

"I'm sure they are still open, Ron," said Hermione, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "It won't take very long. Ginny and I need some too." Ginny nodded and they all started down the alley again towards another store full of quills, parchment, and diaries. Ron and Harry grabbed huge stacks of a relatively high quality parchment and Hermione joined in when she saw what they were buying.

"This is really good stuff," Hermione said. "Doesn't bleed through at all."

Ron and Harry exchanged an amused look as Hermione grabbed a huge stack of the parchment as well.

Ginny stepped up to the register first. Hermione followed her and watched after she paid for hers as Harry and Ron bought stacks of parchment and sets of quills that rivaled hers.

As they stepped outside, Ron again reached for Hermione's bag, but she pulled it away from him.

"No way," she said. "You have too much as it is."

Ron juggled his bags into a more comfortable position and said, "I'm fine, see?" But Hermione shook her head and he gave up as Harry started forward with Ginny back towards the fireplace.

Harry handed the floo powder to Ginny and she went first. Harry followed, then Hermione stepped up, but just as she took the floo powder in her hand, she reached out and pulled on one of the bags Ron was holding.

"It will be much easier if I take some of these for the ride."

Ron had to admit that she was right, so he let her take the two bags of robes and she climbed into the fireplace, shouted "The Burrow", and disappeared from sight. Ron stuffed his cauldron and parchment into the book bag, then stepped into the fireplace, awkwardly trying to wrangle the unusually large bag he was holding in with him. As he zoomed through the floo system, he held onto it tightly and closed his eyes. When he arrived at the Burrow he nearly toppled out of the fireplace, dropping the bag on the floor and regaining his balance.

"Glad you took those bags from me, Hermione," he said as she walked over to him. "They would have likely ended up in someone else's grate."

Hermione helped Ron heave the big bag off the floor and he put it on his shoulder, starting up the stairs. Hermione followed him, carrying their bags of robes and her cauldron and parchment. But instead of stopping at Ginny's room, she dropped the bag that contained her new robes and her parchment and cauldron at the door and continued up the steps to Ron's room where he pushed through the door and dropped the big bag onto the floor.

Ron sat down next to the bag. Hermione dropped Ron's bag of robes on his bed and joined him on the rug as he sorted through the books, making two stacks: one for his and one for hers.

"It's so easy to tell what belongs to who. What would I need with Advanced Runes II?" He plopped the book into Hermione's stack and she grinned at him, putting the last of her books on the top of her pile.

"Did you smell dinner coming in?"

Ron shook his head.

"Didn't have time to smell much of anything besides the inside of the fireplace." But just thinking of food made Ron's stomach growl.

"Ginny and Harry went straight to the table. I don't think they even took their bags upstairs." Hermione scoffed and Ron grinned.

"We should have followed them in there."

They stood and Ron brushed some of the remaining soot off his robes, noticing now what a mess he had made coming into his room so dirty.

"Guess I'll be changing my bed tonight," Ron said, eyeing the splotches of soot on the front of his comforter. "And clothes too for the third time today."

"I'm definitely going to need a long bath," Hermione said, and Ron looked away, trying to avoid her eyes as he reached down and picked up her stack of books. He was NOT going to think about Hermione in the bath tub. No he wasn't... But yet it wouldn't leave his mind as they exited the room and started down the stairs again. _Quidditch, chess, Quidditch, chess,_ Ron chanted in his head. He dropped Hermione's books outside Ginny's door and they soon entered the kitchen, taking the two empty seats across from Harry and Ginny.

"You must be starved," said Mrs. Weasley, handing them full plates of food. Ron dug in right away as Hermione thanked Mrs. Weasley for the dinner. No one spoke during dinner, and after only a few minutes, Ron sat back from his plate, full and finished.

"That was delicious, Mum, thanks," Ron said gratefully. Ginny, Harry and Hermione nodded their approval as well.

"You're welcome. Now you all better go up, get cleaned, and get a good night's sleep. Ron and Hermione, you especially. Will you need anything before tomorrow?" Mrs. Weasley directed this last part towards Hermione as she knew Hermione would be the one making the travel arrangements.

"No thank you, Mrs. Weasley."

"Wait, where do we need to go to get on this aerioplane?" Ron asked. Hermione suppressed a giggle.

"London. We can Apparate somewhere close, near a small town, and call for a taxi. There's a pretty secluded Muggle town near London, right? Ron mentioned it a while ago to me." Hermione asked.

"Yeah, we met dad there once. There are some wizards there that are hooked up to the floo network," Ron said as his mother nodded.

"Sure you wouldn't do better with a car from here?" she asked.

"That's alright. You don't need to go to any trouble." Hermione turned to Ron. "Ron, do you know which way to go?"

Ron nodded.

"No problem. You can side-along with me," he said with a smile. They all got up from the table, stretching, and Harry and Ginny went up the stairs first, going past Ginny's room towards Harry's. Ron watched them go for a moment as he stood outside Ginny's door, then he helped Hermione carry all of her things into Ginny's room. Hermione then moved to her trunk, pulling out a clean set of pajamas.

"Make sure you remember to transfigure your training books before you pack them so they look like Muggle books or something else entirely. I think I'm going to shrink mine down, then disguise them as something, maybe coins or socks or something."

Ron chuckled.

"I'll remember," he said, grinning.

"I'm taking a bath," Hermione said, brushing past Ron towards the door. _Quidditch, chess, Quidditch, chess..._

"Okay, I'll just go on up to my room and change my bed. I think I'll take a shower when you're done..." _Quidditch, chess, Quidditch, chess..._

"Alright. I'll save you some hot water." She blushed a bit, then kissed Ron on the cheek and left the room, going into the bathroom without a look back.

*******************************************************

Ron changed his bed still chanting to himself. This was going to get more and more difficult, he realized, thinking about staying in a hotel with Hermione in Australia. That brought his mind back to a familiar set of questions about their sleeping arrangements. What was he supposed to say? He hoped she'd just know what to do or imply her feelings and he wouldn't have to worry about it.

He went to his desk and began filling out his Auror paper work. After a few minutes, he checked back over everything, reading it all for the third time, making sure he had signed everywhere he was supposed to. He then went to his window, opened it, and searched the sky for Pig. The little owl zoomed towards the window, landing right on top of a stack of Ron's newly folded clothes. Pig shook, a few stray feathers falling onto the clothes, and Ron glared at the owl.

"Ruddy nuisance," Ron said, but he ruffled the owl's feathers anyway, holding out the forms. "I need you to make this a quick one, Pig. I'm leaving in the morning. Think you can make it back so I know you got these to them?"

Pig gave a small hoot and stuck out his foot, puffing up his chest, ready to accept the challenge. Ron rolled up the papers and tied them to Pig's leg. The owl zoomed instantly back out the window and into the sky, flying higher and further until Ron lost sight of him. Ron closed the window and returned to his bed, taking off his socks and shoes.

After a bit, he thought he heard the water shut off, so he sat down on his rug, flipping absentmindedly through his new books, trying to concentrate on them. A few minutes passed and Ron deemed it safe to travel down to the bathroom for a shower, so he picked up a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt and headed down stairs. The door was open, steam still pouring out of the room. It crossed Ron's mind that this was the same steam that was running over Hermione's body moments ago... her _naked _body. He almost banged his head against the edge of the door as he entered the room, trying to rid his mind of these thoughts. He couldn't keep going like this. Hermione was sure to figure something out eventually. She was much too smart.

He closed the door and settled in for a shower. After a long soak, he exited the bathroom, fully dressed, hair still a bit damp. He noticed that Ginny's door was still shut so he passed on by and headed back up to his room. He'd come back down to see Hermione again in a bit. He hoped she wasn't asleep already... but as he opened the door to his room, he was so shocked that he nearly fell backwards.

Hermione was lying on his bed under his blanket. She was lying on her side, her right arm propping her head up, staring at her Advanced Arithmancy book which lay open next to her. She had left enough room on the edge for Ron to join her. He stepped into the room cautiously, closing the door behind him.

Hermione could feel him watching her. She knew she must be red all over. _This is too obvious_, she told herself. _Maybe he doesn't want me in his bed_._ I shouldn't have come in here. _But when he sat down next to her and leaned back against her stomach, she forgot what she had even been thinking of.

"Hi," he whispered, closing his eyes.

Hermione forgot her book and moved her left hand to Ron's hair, running her fingers through it. Ron let out a deep breath.

"Feels good," Ron said in a very soft voice. Hermione smiled at him even though he couldn't see her, and she continued to move her hand through his hair gently.

"Don't fall asleep," she said. "You need to set an alarm." Ron grinned, his eyes still closed.

Hermione noticed then that Ron's legs were mostly off the bed, his feet on the ground. It was quite a funny sight because he was so tall. Hermione suppressed a laugh, and returned her attention to Ron's hair. After a moment, he opened his eyes and looked up at her. Her right hand had been supporting her head and was now quite sore so she adjusted her position on the bed, Ron's head bouncing on her stomach as she moved. He sat up and swung his legs around, his head now up at the top of the bed with Hermione's.

Ron laughed as he moved around on the pillow, getting comfortable, his body still above the blanket.

"What?" Hermione asked as she shut her book and pushed it down to the end of the bed and off the edge. It thumped to the floor and she turned to Ron.

"I was just thinking about first year, actually."

Hermione was surprised. She hadn't expected him to say anything like that.

"Why?"

"Dunno. I guess I was thinking about the troll in the loo... and then I was thinking of you yelling at Harry at breakfast about not eating all his eggs. You thought he was sick, remember?"

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"How do you remember something like that?"

Ron shrugged.

"Hadn't thought of it till now. Don't know why I thought of it at all really."

Ron smiled, remembering something else.

"I have a picture of us in first year that I don't think you ever saw. I have a bunch actually."

Ron sat up all the way now, leaning over the edge of his bed and feeling around for something. Hermione watched him, curious.

"If I can find it here..." Ron said, still bent over the edge. "There!"

He sat up now, holding what looked like a photo album. Hermione studied it carefully, realizing that she had never seen it before.

"I never showed this to anyone. Not because I didn't want to. I just forgot about it really. Hagrid gave it to me in sixth year when I had been poisoned and was in the hospital wing. Late birthday present."

Hermione shuttered as she thought back to that time. She had never been so scared... Ron noticed her skin starting to pale, and he leaned back against his headboard, putting his left arm around her.

"Helped me get my head back on though, getting poisoned," he joked. "I realized all the things I hadn't said to you, and how we'd left it. I would have... well I guess I wouldn't have known if I'd never woken up..." Hermione shivered again. Ron continued, "But thinking about how I could have died before ever saying a thing to you about..." Ron swallowed, thumbing the edge of the photo album absentmindedly. "Got me thinking is all."

Hermione nodded. Ron slipped his arm back from around her and got under the blanket with her. He dimmed his bedside lamp and replaced his arm around her, resting the book on his lap and opening it to the first page. Hermione leaned back into his arm, settling against him. Their legs brushed, but neither one moved away this time.

Ron flipped the page to the first picture. It was the three of them on the train platform at Hogwarts, heading back home at the end of the term.

"Harry must have been easily distracted back then," said Ron, and Hermione laughed as Harry walked out of the picture towards something unknown, leaving her and Ron waving and smiling at whoever was taking the picture.

"We were so tiny," said Hermione in awe. Ron nodded.

"Can't believe you were ever that tall compared to me," Ron said, noticing that they were both standing on the same platform but their heads were nearly even.

There was a knock on Ron's door and he looked at Hermione, his eyes wide. She started to move away from him, but then...

"It's me," came Harry's voice from the other side of the door. Ron let out a relieved breath and called, "Come in."

Harry entered the room and closed the door behind him.

"Didn't mean to scare you," he said, clearly not the least bit surprised to find Hermione in Ron's bed. "Your parents are in bed, Ron. They said goodnight when I went down for tea."

Harry sat down on the edge of the bed to Ron's right and glanced at the book Ron was holding.

"What's that?" he asked, trying to look over the edge of the book. Ron scooted over pushing against Hermione and she moved further towards the wall, her body now squished against Ron's. Harry climbed up and situated himself on the bed above the blanket, awkwardly trying to keep from piling in on top of Ron. Ron dropped the photo book to his lap and extended his right arm out and behind Harry jokingly. He then squeezed them both in, Harry's head knocking against Ron's. Harry pushed back, making a disgusted face.

"That's great, Ron, really..." Harry said sarcastically, trailing off. Ron laughed and Hermione joined in. Now that her head was pressed into Ron's neck and shoulder, she decided that she didn't want to move at all. So she didn't. She picked up the side of the book closest to her and Ron picked up the other side. Harry now took a good look at the picture and let out a bellowing laugh. When he finally got his breath, he sat up straighter in the bed and sighed contentedly.

"Where did you get this, Ron?"

"Hagrid," Ron answered. "He gave it to me in sixth year when I was poisoned. Came to see me in the hospital wing and brought it with him."

"I look like I have a problem there," Harry said, pointing at himself in the picture as he walked out of the frame.

"Yeah, what was so special over there, Harry?" Ron asked.

"Who knows, really," Harry said, shaking his head. "Hermione, I thought it wasn't possible that your hair was even bigger before than it is now."

Ron laughed, and Hermione reached across him and pinched Harry.

"Ow!"

"Next picture," Hermione said, turning the page.

"The Great Hall," said Ron. The three of them sat amidst other Gryffindors at the table, eating all sorts of delicious looking treats.

"Second year," Harry added.

"Look, it's Cho way over there," Hermione said, pointing at the back of Cho's head sitting at a table in the background. Harry ignored this, however.

"We look... a little bigger I guess," Harry said, smiling.

Ron turned the page. The next picture was of him and Harry near the Quidditch field. The Harry in the picture did a quick spin on his broom. The Ron in the picture watched him, smiling, but looking a little jealous.

"I remember that picture. Hagrid took it," Harry said fondly.

Ron nodded.

"Yeah, he must have taken most of these to have all the pictures to give me in the first place. Though some of these... not sure how he got them. He worked hard on this for me," Ron said proudly.

Hermione silently watched as Ron turned the page to the next picture.

"Oh, that's a good one actually," Harry said. The three of them stood outside the Great Hall, smiling. Others passed in and out behind them, but they didn't pay attention. Once, Ron turned and his elbow bumped into Hermione lightly. She crossed her arms over her chest and huffed at him, but he only shrugged, turning back to the camera and waving.

"Ouch," Hermione said, and Ron looked over at her.

"Sorry," he said, laughing.

Harry turned the page this time to a picture of them in the Leaky Cauldron before third year. Hermione looked really angry and Ron was trying to avoid looking directly at her in the picture. Hermione held Crookshanks in her arms.

"I really missed him last year," she said, touching the Crookshanks in the picture.

"Saw him in the garden this morning playing with the gnomes," Ron said.

Hermione shifted on the bed a little as Harry watched the picture.

"I really thought you were going to end it," Harry said, shaking his head. Ron looked to him, puzzled. "You two." Harry gestured to Ron and Hermione, then to them in the picture, as a way of explanation.

"Oh," Ron answered simply. "Yeah..." He thumbed the edge of the page, looking a little embarrassed.

Hermione said nothing, just turned the page. They were there again, third year, outside this time. And surprisingly, Hermione and Ron didn't seem quite as angry with one another, though Harry was standing in the middle and they didn't look at one another at all. They seemed to be completely ignoring each other, pretending that the other wasn't there.

"Oh, are all these pictures of us not getting along?" Hermione asked, a little sad.

"We looked happy in the first few..." But Hermione didn't look satisfied by Ron's words. "Besides," he added, "I wasn't even really angry with you."

Harry raised his eyebrows at Ron.

"Well... not as angry as I seemed..." Ron's ears started to redden. "Hey, I had good reason," Ron continued, trying to excuse his behaviour just a little bit. "I thought Scabbers was a goner." Ron shuttered. "Now I wish he had been."

"It's better that it turned out the way it did though," Harry said. "You found out who he really was that way. It would have been really hard to believe a story like that if we hadn't seen it with our own eyes."

"That's true." Ron nodded, turning the page.

Hermione stood by herself on the steps at the Yule Ball. She looked very happy and was smiling into the camera. Her cheeks were pink and her hair looked perfect, like she had just come down from her dormitory.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Hagrid!"

"He took this?" Ron asked, pointing at the picture. Hermione nodded.

"He said he wanted a picture of everyone at the ball. He told me how lovely I looked and..." Hermione trailed off and Harry looked over at her.

"And what?" he asked, but Hermione didn't look like she was going to finish her sentence. She wouldn't meet Harry's eyes.

"And what?" Ron echoed.

"Nothing. Just how lovely he thought I looked."

"But you said..." Ron started, but Hermione glared at him.

"I don't particularly want to think about that right now, thank you," she said, turning the page quickly. Next was Harry with Cho standing at the bottom of the steps. He looked a little tired.

"After the first dance?" Ron asked Harry, remembering that everyone who had danced first had walked back out into the hallway and disappeared for a bit.

"Yeah," Harry nodded, yawning. "Hagrid pushed us together."

Ron chuckled, then turned the page to a general picture of the Ball. Everyone was dancing, except for him and Harry and their dates. They all watched in silence for a bit.

"I like looking through this and trying to find people." Ron pointed at Neville. "Neville and Ginny," he said, but when no one responded, he slowly realized that Harry was asleep next to him and Hermione's eyes were also closed. He reached over Harry and grabbed his alarm off his bedside table, setting it for 6:30am. He stared at it for a minute, thinking about how early that was going to be before remembering that in a couple of weeks, he'd be getting up a 4:00am every day... He replaced the alarm on his bedside table, knocking into Harry. Harry sat up straighter, blinking fast.

"Better go to bed," Harry said sleepily, crawling out of Ron's bed and heading for the door in a haze. Ron watched as he slowly maneuvered the door handle and pulled it open.

"G'night," Ron called after Harry. Harry mumbled something that sounded similar to "good night" and left the room, closing the door with a click.

Ron settled in further under the covers with Hermione and continued to page through the photo album, only vaguely glancing at the pictures, until he reached the last one.

Ron had no idea who had taken this picture. It was Christmas, sixth year, and Hermione was no where to be seen. He was standing with Harry in the common room, both of them looking a little less happy than they had in previous pictures. But Ron had seen this before and knew what was coming, so he stared at the picture, waiting. After a moment, Hermione walked by behind them, hiding her face. He could tell she had been crying. She avoided looking at him in the picture, but at the last moment, just as she slipped off the edge of the image, she glanced over at Ron sadly, her eyes watery but her lips curling into a gentle smile. Then she was gone. The Ron in the picture hadn't even noticed her there.

He continued to watch the picture, waiting for it to start again, and as he thought about how awful that year had been, he felt his eyes closing, and before he knew it, he was dreaming of a much better time, a time in the future when he and Hermione were happy together and living in a great big house with flowers and a garden and music filling the air around them.


	4. Glenoak and Heathrow

**Chapter 4 - Glenoak and Heathrow**

_**May 7, 1998**_**  
**  
Hermione awoke with a start, suddenly feeling very cold. As her eyes adjusted to the dark room, she remembered where she was: Ron's room. But Ron was no where to be found. The side of the bed where she remembered him being when she fell asleep was empty, the covers back and a draft wafting underneath towards her.

She sat up and looked down the bed towards the door which was closed. After a moment, she climbed out of the bed, shivering. She grabbed Ron's Chudley Cannon's shirt off his dresser without thinking about it and put it on over her own shirt, then opened the door, peering out into the hallway. She heard a creak and backed into the room a little, her head still just around the edge of the door frame.

"Hermione?" Ron whispered up the stairs. She could hear his soft footsteps now getting closer and closer. She opened the door all the way and stood in the door frame, her arms crossed over her chest, looking down the stairs to the left. Ron came into view, taking the last few steps quickly.

She backed up, allowing him to come into the room.

"Did I wake you?" he asked in a whisper as she closed the door behind him. She shook her head.

"I woke up and you weren't here."

"Sorry, I was in the loo, too much tea last night." Ron grinned, then his eyes moved down over her and he suddenly noticed his shirt. His stomach fluttered madly and his eyes opened a little wider. He couldn't help but think how much he loved seeing her in his clothes. And his Chudley Cannons shirt too! It was... distracting. He stared for a second and she looked down at herself to see what he was looking at.

"Oh!" she said, fumbling with the shirt. "It was cold, sorry." She started to take it off but Ron reached out to stop her.

"You can wear it," he whispered. "I don't mind. I was just trying to figure out what it was you had on. Didn't think you owned anything that orange." Ron grinned. Hermione blushed but grinned as well.

Ron blinked his eyes a few times sleepily, then climbed back up the bed from the foot to the head, falling down on his stomach in the middle, then scooting over to the edge to give Hermione room. She lifted the blanket at the foot of the bed and crawled under it all the way to the top, her head popping out right next to Ron's. He smiled at her as she emerged from under the blanket. He shifted, pulling the blanket out from under him and rolling under it with Hermione, still lying on his stomach. Hermione turned onto her side, facing Ron, and he reached over with his right hand, putting his palm against her cheek. He turned on his side now as well and stared into her eyes, blinking frequently, trying not to fall asleep.

"Ron," Hermione began after a moment, her voice barely a whisper. "The night before last when we were falling asleep... did you... did you mean what you said?"

"What did I say?" he asked, confused.

"That... you said that you... _loved me_," Hermione breathed.

"I... what!?" He raised his eyebrows, shocked.

"Oh..." Hermione turned away, embarrassed. "I must have misheard you."

"No!" Ron remembered it now. "Hermione, that _is _what I said but..."

Hermione looked back to Ron, a little hope in her eyes.

"I didn't know I had said it... _out loud_..." Hermione could see Ron's blush, even in the dark room.

"Oh..."

"I was thinking of it while I was falling asleep and... well..." he rambled. "I wondered if I had really spoken... and then I just forgot. But now... I remember it."

"Alright," Hermione whispered. He hadn't answered her question yet. Had he really meant it? She tried to smile at him, to end it there, but she felt her stomach twisting into a knot. What if he wished he had never said it?

Ron looked away and there was a long pause as he seemed to be concentrating hard on something. When he finally looked back to her and spoke, it was so soft that Hermione could barely hear him.

"I did mean it."

Hermione took a second to fully comprehend what this meant.

"You-you did?" she asked in a whisper, her voice squeaking.

Ron nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Really?" She couldn't believe it...

Ron nodded again.

"Yeah..."

A smile spread across Hermione's face and she knew what she had to do now.

"I... I love you too, you know," she said, not even caring how red her face was turning. Ron's lips curled up, his smile matching hers.

"Brilliant," he breathed, and then he kissed her, their faces pressed tightly together. Hermione wrapped her arms around his shoulders and their bodies pressed into each other completely this time, every bit touching from head to toe.

After a moment, Ron squirmed around, and as their kiss deepened, Hermione blushed, having a pretty good idea why Ron was scooting back away from her. They broke apart, and Hermione could see, even in the night, how Ron's eyes had darkened.

"Hermione," he breathed, closing his eyes. Their breathing was uneven and was the only sound in the room for a minute. Hermione closed her eyes as well, feeling Ron's hot breath against her skin. Finally, she opened her eyes and leaned up on her elbow, looking over Ron to his night table. She grimaced. It was 4:00am. They had a long day ahead of them, but she didn't really mind. They could sleep on the plane, she told herself, and she settled back into the pillow, but Ron's eyes were open now too.

"Time?" he asked.

"4," Hermione sighed. Ron raised his eyebrows.

"That late?" He paused. "That early?"

Hermione giggled.

"Yeah..."

Ron moved his hand down and rested it on her hip, then blushed, realizing where he was touching her. But she didn't protest, so he didn't move. Their legs tangled together under the blanket, and Ron blew a bit of Hermione's hair out of his face, laughing.

"You can't win with that," Hermione said grimly. Ron gave her a puzzled look. "My hair will never do what you say or what you want."

"But I like it just how it is," Ron said, reaching up to run his hand through it.

"You can't be serious."

"Why not?" Ron didn't move his hand from her hair.

"_Why_?" It was all Hermione could think to say. She couldn't imagine that her hair was anything to _like_.

"... why not?" Ron laughed.

"We're going in a loop," Hermione said, giggling.

"Honestly though, I really _do_ love your hair," Ron said, moving his hand back to her hip. She blushed, staring at him in awe. "That was a lot easier to say than I thought it would be. I guess anything is easy now I've told you that... that I love you."

Hermione's lips curled into a huge smile. He had said it again, and he'd been fully aware of it this time, and completely awake. Well, mostly anyway.

"Oh, I've got something," Ron said, waiting for Hermione to catch on.

"Oh, a question?" she asked, excited.

"Yeah."

"Go on."

"Well, earlier, when we were looking at the picture book from Hagrid, we got to that pretty one," Hermione's eyes softened, "of you in your dress robes at the Yule Ball..." Hermione knew what was coming. "You stopped before you said something... what were you going to say?"

"I knew you'd get back to that eventually," she said, sighing.

Ron waited for her to go on, and finally, sighing again, she did.

"Hagrid saw me on the steps after you and Harry went up to bed. He came up to me and I told him I was fine but... he sat down and said that everything would work out because..." Hermione dropped her voice into a comical imitation of Hagrid, "because he's just got to figure out why he upset you and blokes take a much longer time to get it than girls do."

Ron's eyes widened.

"Hagrid said that?" he asked, incredulously.

"Yeah, it was a bit awkward. Then he gave me a pat on the back that probably left a bruise for weeks."

Ron laughed.

"What did he mean?" Ron had a pretty good idea though...

"Well... what do _you _think?" Her eyes narrowed.

"Yeah," Ron said, his face falling. "I was afraid of that."

"Anyway, it doesn't matter now, does it." Hermione snuggled in closer to Ron.

"No, I guess not," he said, smiling.

Hermione yawned, then tried to find a place for her arms which proved difficult. Ron tried to move his arm under her which didn't work out at all. Finally, she sat up, climbed over Ron, and pushed him towards the wall. He moved, curious about what she was doing, and turned on his side, facing her.

"Didn't want to face the wall," she said, settling in on the outside edge of the bed and turning her back to Ron. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do now. Hermione stopped moving, satisfied with her position in the bed, and Ron wondered if she had fallen asleep already.

Slowly and cautiously, he sneaked his left arm over her, resting his elbow on her hip, his forearm and hand dangling over her body, not wanting to touch her too intimately in case she didn't want him to.

"Wondered when you'd catch on," Hermione said, a smile in her voice. She scooted back until her legs were up against Ron's and she could feel his chest against her back. His lips brushed her neck and she could feel him smiling as well.

When Hermione took his hand, he decided it was safe to relax, so he dropped his arm to her stomach. He snaked his other arm under her pillow, and soon found that this was really quite a comfortable way to sleep.

He raised his head and kissed her ear softly.

"Night," he whispered, his hot breath soaking into her skin and giving her goosebumps.

"Night," she returned.

As Ron sank back into the pillow behind Hermione, her hair fluttered into his face and nose. He wrinkled his nose, moving back just a bit and chuckling.

Hermione smiled, her eyes shut tight, remembering the same thing happening the night before and wondering if his laughter would be the last sound she would hear every night for a long time to come...

*******************************************************

Ron's alarm blared into his ear and he cringed, rolling over onto his stomach. It didn't take him long to realize that his bed was empty. His eyes shot open. Where was Hermione? Just then, his door burst open and he shut his eyes again, hoping whoever it was wouldn't notice that he was awake and would let him take his time getting out of bed.

"Morning, Ron." Hermione's much too chipper voice managed to reach his ears through his buzzing alarm. He decided he was awake now.

She sat down on the edge of his bed, and as he turned over to face her, he noticed she was fully dressed. He also smelled something delicious...

"How do you do it?" he asked, slamming his fist into his alarm, silencing it.

"Do what?" she asked, scooting a bit closer to Ron.

"Get up this damn early..." He rolled further onto his side, his stomach pressing into Hermione. He curled a bit around her and closed his eyes again, his hair falling into his face.

"No, you don't," she said, standing. "Up."

"Her_-mi-_one..." he moaned, not moving.

"We have far too much to do today. Although, if you want to stay in bed you can just skip it altogether. I said I'd go alone from the start, didn't I."

Ron opened his eyes now, looking up to see Hermione towering over him, her hands on her hips and a cross look on her face. Ron sat up slowly, brushing his hair out of his eyes, still looking very sleepy.

Hermione headed for the door, but just as Ron was about to stop her, she called back to him.

"Your mother wasn't up yet so I made you breakfast," and then she was out the door and going down the stairs. Ron now noticed a large plate full of delicious looking food on his bedside table: bacon, eggs, toast and tomatoes. There was even a cup of hot tea. Hermione had made that for him? She had gotten up extra early and cooked him breakfast? Ron felt extremely guilty all of a sudden and left his bedroom immediately without his plate. He took the stairs two at a time to Ginny's room where the door was slowly shutting, but he wedged his hand inside just before it closed all the way, holding the door open. Hermione turned around inside Ginny's room, startled.

Before Hermione could say anything, Ron was in the room and kissing her, her eyes wide. As he finally broke away from her, he leaned down.

"I'm awake now, promise," he whispered into her ear. But as he raised his eyes, he became very aware of where he was. Ginny was half lying, half sitting up in her bed, still under her covers, watching them, her eyebrows raised.

"Good morning to you, too," she said with a smirk.

Ron instantly felt his skin burn and turned away towards the door.

"I'll... uh... see you downstairs... just have to uh... get my... just have to eat... and then... my bag..." and he was out the door.

Hermione let out a long breath and turned around, giggling. Ginny rolled her eyes and flopped back down on her bed.

"You know what Ron would do to me if he saw me and Harry kissing like that?" Ginny said jokingly. But Hermione stopped laughing.

"You and Harry?" she said softly, but Ginny stayed quiet. Hermione moved closer to Ginny's bed and tried again. "You and Harry?"

"Yeah, yeah," Ginny said, looking up at Hermione. "Who's surprised?" but she was smiling now. Hermione sat down on the edge of Ginny's bed.

"That's great, Ginny! I knew he'd get back with you when we returned, obviously, but..." Hermione was smiling now too.

"He's started to tell me things, but I'm sure it will take time before he wants to talk about much that happened last year..."

Hermione looked down. She didn't want to face those things yet herself, so she could certainly understand Harry's hesitancy to do so.

Ginny stretched and climbed out of bed.

"No sense trying to go back to sleep now," she said, opening her dresser for some clean clothes. "Have you seen Harry up yet?"

Hermione shook her head.

"Don't know why I even asked," Ginny said, yawning. "No one should be up at this hour."

"Sorry I woke you up, Ginny," Hermione apologized.

"Don't worry. Besides, now I've had all my suspicions confirmed about you and Ron." Ginny smiled and Hermione blushed. "I'm really happy for you, Hermione. It took him long enough!"

Ginny folded her clothes over her arm, watching as Hermione stood from the bed smiling and went to her own neatly made cot. She reached in her trunk and pulled out some papers and something covered in leather that looked a bit like a wallet and then laid them out in a strange sort of order on her bed. Ginny raised an eyebrow as Hermione pointed her wand at the papers.

"What in the name of Merlin are you doing?" Ginny asked, amused.

"Making a passport for Ron," Hermione answered, not looking up from the papers. She furrowed her eyebrows in concentration and muttered some spell Ginny had never heard before.

"A pass what?"

"Passport. Muggles use them to travel between countries," Hermione explained. "Here," and she handed her own passport to Ginny.

"Did you make this?" Ginny asked, impressed.

"No, I got it the official way with my parents several years ago, but we don't have a lot of time before Ron starts training and it's not easy to get one of those so..."

Ginny raised her eyebrows, returning the passport to Hermione.

"You aren't doing this the official way?"

"Well, no," Hermione said, rearranging the papers and raising her wand again. "Muggles can't do what I'm doing, can they..."

Ginny shook her head.

"Does Ron know you are doing something illegal? He'll be thrilled." Ginny grinned as Hermione muttered another spell quickly and lifted the result, studying it.

"I told him yesterday," Hermione said, pocketing her wand and the paper. "And he _was _thrilled."

Ginny laughed as Hermione went to the door.

"Ginny," she said, turning back around. "I know I have seen a Muggle camera in your shed before. Do you think your father would mind letting me borrow it to get Ron's picture?"

"Not at all," said Ginny, following Hermione out into the hallway. "Though it's going to be tough getting Ron to stand still for it."

Ginny rolled her eyes and crossed the hall to the bathroom for a shower. Hermione headed upstairs to find Ron and get him to come down to the shed for his picture. When she reached his door, she stopped and grinned, closing her eyes. It wasn't so long ago that she had stood outside this same door wishing that things were different, that Ron would just feel for her the way she felt for him. And now, knowing that he really did, she felt like everything that had let up to this moment had been worth it.

She opened her eyes and knocked softly on the door. Nearly instantly, the door opened and Ron stood fully dressed on the other side.

"You can just come in, you know. You don't have to knock." He gave her a half-smile, then immediately looked away, blushing as he realized what the had just said.

Hermione tried to ignore his comment as she followed him into his room, desperately trying to push thoughts of walking in on Ron changing out of her head... He turned his back to her and slung his duffel bag over his shoulder.

"Ron, I need to take your picture. It's for the passport."

He turned back around to face her, the red in his cheeks slowly starting to creep away.

"Okay, shall we take everything downstairs now? Anything else you need?" Ron looked around his room thoughtfully. Hermione reached over and took his Chudley Cannons shirt off the top of his dresser, folding it over her arm.

"I think I have everything," she said, leaving the room and starting down the stairs quickly. Ron grinned and followed her, closing his door on the way out.

They stopped by Ginny's room where Hermione picked up her duffel bag and shoved Ron's shirt into it. She was quickly relieved of the bag however as Ron took it and casually slung it over his shoulder with his own. She followed him out of the room smiling, taking her robe off the back of Ginny's door. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they were surprised to hear Ron's parents awake in the kitchen.

"A bit early," Ron said to Hermione, "even for them."

"Ron!" His mother greeted them both as they came around the corner. "Hermione. Good morning. Have you eaten? I know you are in a hurry but I have a little something on the stove."

"We ate, but thanks mum," Ron said, adjusting his and Hermione's bags on his shoulder.

"Mr. Weasley," Hermione began. "I wondered if I might borrow your Muggle camera for a moment. I saw a while ago that you had one stored in the shed."

"Sure, Hermione," Mr. Weasley said, standing from the table. He led the way out of the house to the shed, Hermione looking a little nervous. When he found the camera, he handed it to Hermione, fascinated. "These are such intriguing artifacts," he said, and Hermione held back a giggle thinking of Mr. Weasley discovering a Muggle camera buried somewhere and thinking of it as a relic from a past time.

"Thank you, Mr. Weasley," Hermione said, taking the camera from him.

"So where should we do this?" Ron asked, looking around the shed.

"Are you taking a picture, Hermione?" Mr. Weasley asked, gleefully.

"Yes, sir," Hermione said, hoping he wouldn't ask why. She really did not want to lie to Ron's parents but she felt like she had no choice. It _was _illegal what they were about to do after all.

"Excellent!" Mr. Weasley clapped his hands together and stood waiting. Hermione decided that his not asking any questions was probably a sign that he had at least some clue of what they were doing and had decided to ignore it. Mr. Weasley could be awfully clever and very smart.

"We'd better get outside in the light," Hermione suggested, and they followed her to the side of the shed. She turned her head to one side, then the other, studying the wall.

"What are you doing?" Ron asked, coming up behind her.

"Trying to decide if this looks professional..." The wall was dirty and the paint was chipping. Hermione pulled her wand from her back pocket and pointed it at the wall, then turned to Mr. Weasley. "Mind if I tidy this up a bit... for the picture?"

"Not at all," Mr. Weasley said. "Molly has it on my to do list anyhow. You'd be saving me the trouble."

Hermione smiled and threw a few spells at the wall. The dirt and rust vanished, leaving a fairly decent looking white surface.

"Alright, just stand there, Ron, but leave the bags on the ground." Hermione turned the camera over, flipped it on, and stared into it, checking for film. Then she raised it to her eyes, waiting for Ron.

Ron dropped his and Hermione's bags on the ground next to the wall and moved in front of the camera, facing Hermione.

"What do I do?" he asked, a little hesitantly.

"Just stand still..." Hermione said, adjusting the focus and zoom to get Ron perfectly in the frame. "And smile," she added.

Ron smiled, then awkwardly tried to hold it while Hermione continued to adjust the camera. Mr. Weasley stood off to the side, watching with glee.

"Hermione... how long does this take?" Ron asked through his teeth, continuing to hold the smile.

There was a loud click and a bright flash. Ron shut his eyes tight and ducked out of the way, startled.

"Done!" Hermione announced, lowering the camera and opening it, careful not to expose the film inside as she wrapped it and put it into her duffel bag. When she saw Ron bending over, his eyes wide, she buckled over laughing.

"What?" Ron cautiously stood back up straight. "That was it? I'm in the camera now?" Ron pointed to the camera and Hermione just laughed harder.

"Brilliant!" Mr. Weasley announced, shaking his head. "Just brilliant. And they don't move, Ron. It will be still. You know, even if you move around, the camera there captures it like you were perfectly still. Marvelous..."

"Why did you tell me not to move then?" Ron asked Hermione, picking up their bags again.

"Because it makes a better picture if you don't. It would have been blurry otherwise." Ron shook his head, deciding that it was better not to bother questioning anything.

They made their way back inside where they found Harry in the kitchen with Ginny, both of them tucking in to Mrs. Weasley's delicious looking breakfast.

"Morning, Harry," Ron said. Harry raised his fork in acknowledgment. When he noticed that Ron was carrying bags, he swallowed his food and stood from the table.

"Off already?" Harry asked. Hermione nodded.

Mr. Weasley stepped between Ron and Hermione, giving them each a one-armed squeeze.

"You'll tell me all about it when you return, won't you?" Mr. Weasley said excitedly, looking up to his right at Ron, then down to his left at Hermione.

"Of course," Hermione said, starting to feel nervous. This was really it. What if they couldn't find her parents? What if they were hurt? What if she couldn't reverse the memory alteration spell she had cast on them last summer?

Mr. Weasley returned to his spot at the table, loading his plate with food. Mrs. Weasley came over for a hug from each of them.

"Have a lovely trip," she said, moving back away again. "When do you expect you'll be back?"

"I'm not sure," Hermione admitted. "Could be a few days or as much as a week."

"That's quite alright," said Mr. Weasley, tucking into his meal. "If you need anything, go through the Ministry in Sydney. They'll be able to contact us for you."

Hermione nodded, thankful for Mr. Weasley's discretion.

Ginny got up for a hug from Hermione, then moved to Ron, hugging him as well to his surprise.

"See you," she said with a smile, returning to the table. She shared a glance with Harry as he followed Ron and Hermione into the hallway where they could talk more privately.

"So, you know where to find them then?" Harry asked quietly when they reached the front door. Hermione shook her head sadly.

"We'll find them and they'll be fine, I promise," Ron said, trying to reassure her. "Hermione will set them right and we'll be back for dinner." Ron smiled down at Hermione, trying to cheer her up. And it seemed to work. She smiled back.

"Right well... I'll see you back here in a bit then..." Harry's voice trailed off, and Hermione realized that he would probably really miss them, and that they would really miss him. After all, they hadn't spent much time apart in over a year.

Hermione leaned forward and gave Harry a warm hug which he returned tightly.

"Good luck, not that you need it," he said, pulling back from Hermione. "Be safe," he added as an afterthought, smiling at the silliness of his own words. After what they had just been through last year, nothing could stop them.

Ron moved forward now, dropping the bags to the floor and hugged Harry. He squeezed, then squeezed again harder, lifting Harry slightly off the ground.

"Can't... breathe..." Harry choked. Ron finally let Harry go, patted him on the head, and turned back to the bags.

"See you, mate," he said with a grin.

"Yeah..." Harry gave them both one last smile as they turned to the door.

"Bye, Harry," Hermione said, waving as they went through the door and down the front steps.

"Bye," he called as Ron and Hermione started down the path away from the house. He watched them, waving as they continued to the front gate. He finally closed the door when Ron had reached over and wrapped his arms around Hermione, turning on the spot and vanishing with a pop...

They reappeared together on the side of a deserted looking dirt road. Ron led the way as they headed down the road together. He whistled for a bit as they walked, following the little road through some trees.

After a long comfortable silence, Hermione spoke.

"I've got one."

Ron nodded, understanding immediately. A question.

"Alright."

"When did you know?" she asked softly, kicking bits of rock with her feet as they walked. "That you... _loved _me?" She glanced over at Ron a bit nervously. His ears turned red, but he looked back at her with a half-smile.

"Wow... long time ago..." he answered, pulling their bags up higher on his shoulder. Hermione stopped walking.

"How long?" she asked seriously.

Ron stopped a few steps ahead of her and turned back around to face her.

"Well... definitely knew all last year. Sixth year I had it pretty much figured out, then _really _figured out when I was in the hospital wing. I kind of knew fifth year I reckon..." Hermione's eyes widened, but he continued. "I woke up in the hospital wing and you were asleep in the bed next to mine. You were behind a curtain. Thought about going over there to see you. Couldn't get back to sleep then thinking of kissing you..." Her eyes got even wider. "Then, let's see..." Ron concentrated hard for a second. "Yeah, fourth year is probably about as far back as I can honestly say I pretty much knew, or was suspecting."

"Fourth year?!" she squeaked.

"Well..." Ron scratched his neck. "After the Yule Ball I just... dunno... kicked around the dormitory until I couldn't force it out of my head anymore. I sat down and just decided I was going to forget it, but... didn't work." Ron gave her another half-smile and started to walk forward again. Hermione joined him, her mouth open in shock.

"Fourth year?!" she asked again, incredulous.

"Yeah..." Ron avoided looking at her. "That's not _that _long..."

"Yeah! It is!" Hermione practically shouted. Ron shrugged.

"Well, how long for you then?" Ron figured it was probably not nearly as impressive as his admission just now, but he was curious anyway. Maybe she had felt something as far back as the summer before sixth year...

"I... fourth year," Hermione finally said, looking down as they walked. Now Ron stopped. It took Hermione a minute to realize that he wasn't walking with her anymore. She stopped and turned around to see Ron a few feet behind her making a face that she figured was probably very much like the one she had made at him a moment ago.

"No way," he said, his mouth dropping open.

"That's not _that _long," Hermione said, echoing Ron's words.

"Oh, yes it is."

"Now it is, now that it's me we're talking about?" Hermione asked. Ron nodded.

"Do you still have that time turner?" Ron joked, running a hand through his hair.

"Ron..."

"Really, I could have sucked it up and said something to you in bloody fourth year and you would have... you would have said yes?!"

"Well, what _would _you have said exactly?"

"I..." Ron's ears reddened. "I would have asked you to the Ball, that's for sure."

Hermione felt a little sick. She could have said something to _him_. They could have had _years _more together. He had fancied her - no, he said he had _loved _her - since fourth year?!

"I'm a bloody fool sometimes..."

"I had no idea either, Ron. It's not your fault." Hermione stepped over to him. "You know," she added, "maybe it's a good thing it took us this long... well, maybe not _this _long but..."

Ron raised his eyebrows.

"I mean... we were fourteen. How many people who get together when they were fourteen really make it last?" But she didn't really believe it. She knew how strong her feelings were for him and she knew that nothing would have been able to change that.

"We would have..." Ron said, then immediately wondered why his mouth moved without his brain's permission so frequently. Hermione looked away, blushing.

"We can _now _though..." she said softly. Ron smiled, reaching for her hand.

"Yeah..." he trailed off, tugging on her hand and starting to walk again. "Guess we'll just have to make up for lost time."

"How?" Hermione asked, smiling.

"We'll have to go everywhere together. We can tie our hands together so we can't be separated."

Hermione laughed, imagining being tied to Ron all the time, trying to eat and drink... and shower. Her face got hotter and she kept walking, trying to think of something else... It seemed that Ron was having trouble as well. He fell silent for a good while and didn't look at her again until they came to a crossroads.

"This way," Ron said, leading them to the right. "We aren't very far now. At least halfway there already."

"How big is this town?" Hermione asked. Ron shrugged.

"Not very. But there are a couple of shops and a pub."

"Good, I'm hungry already," Hermione said, and Ron nodded his agreement. "We can eat, then find a taxi."

"Taxi?" Ron asked

"Yeah, that's how we are getting to London."

"Right, I heard you say that yesterday and meant to ask what you were on about."

Hermione giggled.

"Hey, it's not my fault! You know this is how most of this day is going to go. Probably most of this whole trip. Better get used to it."

Hermione smiled up at him as they continued to walk.

"I'm not making fun of you, honest," she said, amused. "It's fun teaching you about all these new things. I know how it feels in a way."

Ron raised his eyebrows at her.

"I had to do the opposite, learning everything about the Wizarding world from the start when I found out I was a witch."

"I can't imagine that, not knowing who I really was until suddenly..." Ron raised the the hand that wasn't linked with Hermione's. "All at once like that."

"It was a bit of a shock to my parents, but I was just really thrilled to know why I always felt so different. I hoped that..." Hermione blushed, "that I'd finally make some friends, find some people who were like me at last."

Ron squeezed her hand.

"No one is just like you, Hermione," he said. "And that's a very good thing."

Hermione smiled and squeezed his hand back. Sometimes Ron really could be very sweet, she thought. They continued in silence for a while. Ron scuffed his feet against the dirt path occasionally as they walked. Ron eventually pulled his hand out of Hermione's to check his watch.

"It's been nearly an hour on this path. Seems like we should have been there by now."

He continued to walk, leading the way, but Hermione was a bit concerned now.

"Ron, should we turn back? Are you sure we haven't gone too far?"

Ron stopped walking and held his hand up to his eyes, looking off into the distance.

"Hermione, look," he said, pointing ahead a bit. "Can you see that turn in the road there?"

She squinted, staring off in the direction he was indicating.

"Yes," she said after a moment. "I see it."

"Let's keep going. I think that's the turn off."

Hermione nodded and followed him to the little road, which turned out to be very dark and much less inviting than the path they were on. As Ron started to head down the narrow path, Hermione clutched for his hand.

"Ron..." she began as he glanced around, trying to recall where he was and where they were going.

"I'm sure this is it, but it's overgrown a lot since we last came through here."

But suddenly, Hermione was reminded of being in the woods several months ago alone, of crying in the night for Ron when he was gone, not knowing if he would ever come back to them or if she would ever see him again, and her lips began to tremble. She tried to block the tears that were welling in her eyes, tried to keep them inside and stop them from falling down her cheeks, but she couldn't. The sensation was too much.

Ron noticed immediately that she was upset and stopped walking abruptly, grasping both her elbows in his hands.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice panicked and low. Hermione shook her head, trying to tell him she was alright, but the tears now coating her cheeks betrayed her. "Hermione," he said desperately. "What is it?"

She sniffed, wiped her cheeks with her hands, and looked up at him, trying to calm down.

"It's nothing. I just..." she sniffed again. "Don't worry. I'm fine."

"Something happened," Ron began again, not satisfied in the least by her words. "What is it? Tell me."

She shook her head.

"No, Ron, let's just keep going." She paused, and sniffed again. "Please," she begged, not wanting to spend another minute in these woods. Ron looked into her eyes, trying to decide if he should listen to her or insist that she tell him what was going on. He finally nodded and started ahead again, moving faster this time, deciding that he'd make her tell him once they reached the town, which he knew was only a little bit further.

After what seemed like ages to Hermione but was really only a couple more minutes, the path opened up and they could hear voices coming from the town. As they came to the opening of the path, the little town came into full view. People were moving about, shopping and talking to each other. Some had cars parked on the edges of the small main road. Ron led Hermione over to the sidewalk where he sat on the curb, pulling her down with him to sit next to him.

"Okay," he said. "What happened?" He looked at her very seriously, his forehead creased with worry.

"Oh, Ron," she said, leaning against him. "It's nothing. Just the woods... reminded me of last year."

"Oh." Ron leaned his head over on top of hers.

"I was thinking... about when you were gone. At night I would look outside the tent for you, hoping to see you coming back... I'd sit outside sometimes while Harry was asleep and..."

Ron closed his eyes, feeling immensely guilty.

"Please don't feel guilty," Hermione said as if reading his thoughts. He opened his eyes and turned, gazing down at her.

"Hermione... I'd do anything to take back what I did."

She opened her mouth, but Ron put his finger to her lips.

"I know, you don't think I need to apologize anymore."

Hermione nodded. When he moved his finger away, they stayed there, staring at each other until a car zoomed past them.

"We'd better get going," Hermione said, standing. Ron followed her up and they headed down the sidewalk. Hermione looked for a street sign, finding one at an intersection of a small side street.

"Glacier Avenue," Hermione said thoughtfully. "What is the name of this town, Ron?"

"Glenoak, I think," Ron said.

As they continued to walk down the sidewalk, a sign came into view for a pub that looked very small but that Hermione noticed had a pay phone in front of it. So she walked up to the phone and reached into her pocket for a coin. Ron watched her curiously.

"Going to use that?" he said, pointing to the pay phone.

"Yes," Hermione confirmed, picking up a book under the phone and flipping through it.

"What's that?" Ron asked, looking over her shoulder.

"It's a directory. Businesses list their telephone numbers in here so people can find them."

Ron watched as Hermione flipped from page to page.

"And you are looking for..."

"A taxi company," Hermione said, stopping on a yellow page and running her finger down a list of numbers. She stopped on one that Ron thought was completely random, then she picked up the phone and dropped her coin into it, dialing the number on the yellow page.

"Hi," Hermione said after a moment.

"What?" Ron asked, thinking she had been talking to him. Hermione stifled a laugh and held up her hand to silence him.

"We need a taxi to Heathrow airport, please." Pause. "Granger. Glacier Avenue, Glenoak." Pause. "Yes, yes, that's it. We'll be at the pub." Pause. "Twenty minutes? Perfect." Pause. "Thank you." And she hung up.

Ron followed her into the pub, amused.

"How did you do that, Hermione?" he asked, but she gave him a warning look and he stopped talking, realizing that they were among Muggles and it wouldn't make sense for him to be that daft if he was a Muggle himself.

They went to a table near the back and sat down. Ron leaned in to Hermione and whispered "I guess they don't serve butterbeers here, do they." Hermione shushed him as a young man came over to their table to take their orders. Hermione quickly ordered tea and biscuits for them and turned to Ron as the waiter left them.

"The first thing we need to do, as soon as we get to London, is to develop the picture we took this morning. We can do that at the airport. Mum and Dad once got all our holiday pictures done there while we were eating lunch." Ron gave her a confused look which Hermione ignored. "Once we have a copy of the picture, I'll add it to your..." she lowered her voice... "passport..." raised her voice again... "and then we can go to the front desk and try to find a flight."

Ron's head was spinning. It was as if Hermione had just spoken another language.

"You're going to have to run that by me again, Hermione," he said, shaking his head. "And this time, not in gibberish."

Hermione tried not to laugh as the waiter returned with their tea and biscuits.

"Don't worry," she said. "It's not important. I'm just thinking out loud."

"If you say so," Ron said, adding sugar to his tea. "I trust you."

Hermione smiled, stirring milk into her tea. They ate in silence for a while, then Hermione glanced down at her watch and her eyes went wide.

"We have to get outside. The taxi will be here any second."

They stood from the table. Hermione reached into her pocket for her Muggle money and put some coins on the table. Ron watched her, then reached into his own pocket, trying to figure out how to pay for his.

"Don't worry," Hermione said for the second time. "Let's go." Ron was reluctant to let Hermione pay for him, but he saw no way around it. Muggle money was a complete mystery to him. So he followed her outside where they sat on the curb to wait for the taxi. But Hermione almost immediately stood back up again as a bright yellow car came down the road and into view.

"Remind me again what you called this car..." Ron said under his breath. Hermione shushed him as the taxi pulled up next to them, rolling down his window.

"You're the lot I'm taking to Heathrow, then?" The driver was an elderly man with salt and pepper hair and a beard to match. Hermione nodded, opening the back door. She stepped in, Ron watching her. Should he follow her? Was he supposed to get in the front seat? But Hermione reached out, taking his wrist and indicating that he should come into the back with her. He scooted in and held their bags on his lap.

The driver took off, and Ron sat back, familiar with the concept of cars and not sure why Hermione hadn't just called the 'taxi' a car. He leaned over to ask her.

"Hermione," he whispered. "It's just a car, isn't it?"

She gave him a puzzled look, but didn't answer.

"The... taxi?"

She nodded, but widened her eyes, signaling that Ron shouldn't continue talking the way he was. They needed to blend in. Ron was silent for the rest of the ride. He took Hermione's hand and held it in his lap with the bags as they neared the airport. Traffic thickened, and they came to a complete stop in a pile up by the airport. Ron looked around, seeing plenty of easy escapes and marveling at the fact that Muggles had to just stay put in their metal boxes, waiting for everyone to pile through.

Finally, they came through to the terminals and the driver spoke again, looking through his rear-view mirror at Hermione.

"Ma'am, which terminal?"

"International flights, please," she said politely.

"Ah, on a honeymoon are you?"

Ron and Hermione both blushed.

"Oh, no," Hermione answered. "I have family overseas."

"I see," said the driver, navigating the traffic and pulling up to the International terminal at last. "Here ya are."

Hermione stepped out first again - she was now on the curb side. Ron followed her out, pulling the bags onto his shoulder again as she reached into the car, paying the driver and thanking him. Then he was off into the traffic again.

"Now what?" Ron asked, looking around.

"Follow me," and Ron did just that, trying not to ask any more questions. The airport was a mental looking place, he thought, and if he had not been able to be overheard by all the Muggles bustling about, he would have been asking a question every second. It seemed that everything around him was from another planet. Tall billboards flashed various numbers and destinations followed by times and information that Ron guessed was to inform the Muggles if they would have to wait for a long time to get on their aerioplanes. He wondered suddenly if he and Hermione would be on one of those things alone or if loads of other Muggles would ride it with them. He really had no idea what to expect. Eventually, Hermione stopped and turned to go inside a little shop. Bottles of various liquids lined the inside of shelves, and as Ron walked past the shelves, he shivered.

"Blimey," he said, moving away. "What do they keep in _there_? It's freezing." He pointed to the shelves but Hermione grabbed his hand, lowering it.

"Those are soda bottles, Ron," Hermione whispered, warningly. She approached a counter and reached into her bag which was still situated on Ron's shoulder. She felt around and pulled out the film, placing it on the counter just as a woman walked up behind it.

"Hello. What can I do for you?" she asked with a sickening smile.

"I need this film developed, please," Hermione said, pushing the film further forward. The woman unwrapped it and inspected it.

"Alright. One hour." She smiled again, then picked up a sheet of paper which she handed to Hermione to fill out. Hermione quickly grabbed a pen from a jar and filled in the paper, handing it over to the woman.

"Thanks," she said, pulling Ron out of the store quickly. She found them a bench near the restrooms where it wasn't very crowded and sat down. Ron sat next to her, pulling the bags off his shoulder.

"She said 'one hour'. Does that mean we can go back to get the picture in an hour?"

Hermione nodded.

"So, what now?"

"Well, unfortunately, we can't get our tickets until we have that picture, so we'll just have to wait here." Hermione sighed. "There's also a chance that there will be no more planes going to Australia today or that they are all full."

"So we go on the aerioplane with other people?"

"Yes, loads." Hermione smiled, though she was feeling a bit sick to her stomach. As they got closer and closer to Australia, Hermione felt more and more panicked. She tried to push it away for now though. She didn't want to feel this way. She wanted to relax just for a bit longer before they got there.

"If it's full, do we wait here?"

"Well..." Hermione bit her lip. "We'll have to get a hotel or something. We can get tickets for whatever the next flight happens to be, but if it's not until tomorrow, it would be better to stay here than to go back to the Burrow."

Ron nodded. He liked that plan. Suddenly, he hoped that the people here would tell them that they couldn't go on the aerioplane today at all so that they could go to a hotel soon and relax for a while... He had to look away from Hermione then, hoping she couldn't see him blushing.

Hermione started to talk about a book she had seen in Diagon Alley that she had heard about and Ron tried to pay attention, but his mind was finally starting to settle on what it was they were about to do. He was nervous now for the first time that something would go wrong. What would he do if Hermione's plan to find her parents and fix their memories failed? He had no clue how to go about reversing a memory spell. He didn't even know how they were going to begin to locate her parents. He knew they would be living in a Muggle area, and he was so unfamiliar with Muggle things. He wanted so badly to help her. He wanted to be there for her, to comfort her and to make sure he could keep his promises. He had promised her that her parents would be alright. But would they? Could he fix them if they weren't? Hermione had really been through a lot. He couldn't imagine doing to his parents what she had had to do to hers. She had been heartbroken last summer over what she had done. Ron had been there for her, as much as he could be. He had held her when she cried over them, and told her everything would be alright, even though he hardly believed it himself at the time. But now they were about to face the truth, to discover if what he had promised, what he had whispered to her all year to comfort her, could really come true: that they would be safe and she could set them right and that they'd come home like it never happened.

Before long, Hermione was looking down at her watch and standing up, stretching. Ron followed her back to the little shop where she paid for the pictures and left, finding a secluded corner where no one could see her while she doctored the passport, adding Ron's new picture to it.

"Now we need our tickets," she said, handing Ron his finished passport. "I'll handle it, Ron. Just stand behind me and try not to ask any questions."

Ron looked down at the still photo on the passport, amused.

"How strange," he chuckled. "Hermione, you did a nice job with this. It looks just like yours."

"Thank you, Ron." She smiled up at him and took his hand as he pocketed the passport. She led him through the airport to a large counter with a queue of many people lined up behind it.

"Looks like we'll be here a while," she sighed.

"That seems to be a running theme lately," Ron said, remembering the queue at the book store the day before.

Finally they reached the front of the line and Hermione put her passport up on the desk.

"I need two tickets to Australia, as soon as possible. When is your next flight?"

The woman behind the desk banged something very quickly with the tips of her fingers, and Ron's eyes went wide as he watched her. She seemed to be hitting little keys that had letters and numbers on them, but she wasn't looking at her hands. She was watching a large box in front of her. Ron tried to casually lean to the right hoping he could catch a glimpse of what she was staring at.

"We actually still have seats available on a flight to Sydney that leaves at 9:30," the woman said, her hands coming to a stop and resting on the keys.

"Tonight?" Hermione squeaked.

The woman gave her an odd look, then nodded.

"I..." Hermione turned back to Ron, not quite looking at him. "Ron, I need your passport."

He handed it to her, curious. She didn't seem herself all of a sudden. She put Ron's passport and her own on the counter, then reached into her pocket for her money. The woman said an amount that Ron thought sounded like an awful lot, but he really couldn't tell for sure. He reached into his pocket, trying to figure out what he needed to give Hermione to pay for his, but she took his money from him, sorting through it and paying for both tickets. Ron amused himself thinking about how Hermione could totally rob him right now if she wanted to. He'd always be completely clueless. He knew she obviously never would, but it was funny to imagine how easy it would be for her if she wanted to.

Ron was knocked out of his daze as Hermione handed him some papers, then instructed him to place their bags on a platform to be weighed. Ron did as he was told, asking no questions and trying to look natural. The woman then directed them off to the side and Ron followed Hermione again, their bags now on a long moving belt behind the counter.

"Hermione," he whispered as they neared another long queue. "Where did she put our bags?"

"On the conveyor belt. They'll go to the plane also, but they get stored beneath the plane."

Ron wasn't even going to start trying to figure that one out. As they came to a stop at the back of the line, Ron remembered that he'd wanted to ask Hermione something a moment ago.

"Got something."

Hermione nodded, distractedly.

"What's up?" he asked. She looked up at him.

"What do you mean?"

"That's the question. What's up? You seem distracted. And back there, getting our tickets, you acted funny."

Hermione sighed.

"Just getting nervous." She tried to smile, but it came across as more of a grimace. "It's really happening now. We'll be on the airplane in a few hours."

Ron nodded, understanding. They stepped forward a bit in line. Hermione started taking off her shoes and Ron stared down at her.

"What are you doing?" he asked, thoroughly confused.

"You have to take yours off too, Ron. We're going through a metal detector and some shoes have metal parts inside so we have to take them off to go through that scanner."

Hermione pointed forward in the line towards something that everyone's shoes and other items were going through. Ron's eyes widened.

"I'll explain later..." Hermione said as they came closer and closer to what looked like a door frame that everyone was walking through. A beep occasionally accompanied someone, after which they were taken aside and a large stick was held in front of them and moved up and down slightly away from their body. Ron had to try hard not to laugh. This was about the most ridiculous thing he thought he had ever seen.

He removed his shoes and put them up with Hermione's on the moving platform. Hermione then asked him if he had anything in his pockets. He handed her his money bag and she put it with hers on a tray that also went through with their shoes. Then Hermione passed through the door frame with no trouble. Ron followed her nervously, but to his delight, there wasn't a sound, and he was ushered towards where Hermione was waiting for him on the other side.

They put on their shoes and pocketed their money, then proceeded through the large hallway that Hermione kept calling a 'terminal'. They eventually reached an area full of relatively uncomfortable looking chairs beside which was a doorway that led into a hall that Ron couldn't see down. A sign told them that they were at the waiting area for their flight which was scheduled to leave in... Ron looked at his watch as Hermione took a seat... three hours. Three hours? What were they going to do for three hours?!

Ron sat down next to Hermione. He had far too many questions about the day so far to even get into, so he sat silently next to her for a few minutes, until she leaned towards him, her shoulder resting against his. He figured if he was going to have to sit in this terribly noisy and horribly busy area for three hours with nothing to do, at least he could sit close to Hermione and take a rest. His eyes were awfully tired, and before he knew it, he was leaning back in his seat, his arm around Hermione, his thoughts becoming more and more surreal until he was no longer in a busy airport terminal but was traveling somewhere on his broom, feeling the air rushing over his face.

Hermione noticed him falling asleep and decided that it couldn't hurt to join him, so she set her watch alarm to go off in two and a half hours. It would vibrate then, so in case she slept for too long, she'd be woken up by her watch before their flight started to board. She was asleep before she even had time to think about anything else.


	5. Aerioplanes

**Chapter 5 - Aerioplanes**

_**May 7, 1998**_**  
**  
Hermione awoke to a buzzing against her wrist. Her eyes cracked open and she immediately knew where she was. Her head snapped around to the hallway that would lead to the airplane when it arrived. Nothing was happening yet, and when she looked back to her watch, she saw that they had another thirty minutes before they would start to board. Her stomach growled, so she nudged Ron softly with her elbow and he started awake.

"Wha..." He looked around, then down at Hermione, his eyebrows furrowed. Hermione tried to hold back a giggle at the sight of him waking up so mixed up.

"We're in the airport, Ron," she said softly. He blinked a few times, then realization struck him.

"Oh." He sat up straighter and stretched his long legs out in front of him.

"I'm starving," Hermione said and Ron nodded his agreement.

"I think I'll go find us something to eat. You want to wait and hold our seats or come with me?" Hermione stood up, stretching. Ron looked around and realized that the whole boarding area had filled up completely. There wasn't an empty seat to be found, and several people were standing off to the sides waiting.

"I guess I'd better stay if we want to keep these seats," he said, though he would really rather have gone with Hermione. She nodded, straightening her shirt and pants with her hands.

"What do you want?" she said with a yawn.

"Anything edible," Ron answered with a grin.

Hermione rolled her eyes playfully, then turned around and started to walk away.

"Hermione!" Ron called after her. She turned back around to face him. "Be careful," he said seriously and she nodded, a small smile on her face as she turned back around and walked away. He watched her go until she disappeared down the hallway towards a bunch of brightly lit kiosks and desks.

Ron's mind wandered to the coming fall. Hermione would be leaving him shortly. He wondered now, suddenly thinking about her parents coming home, how much time he'd really get to spend with her. Between his training every day and Hermione helping her parents to move back home, he doubted whether he'd see her much at all. This thought distressed him, and he felt anxious all of a sudden. He really needed to talk to Hermione. He needed her to reassure him... but of what exactly? He couldn't ask her to promise not to fall in love with someone else while she was away. He knew that if she did fall in love with someone else, she wouldn't be able to help it. He knew she'd never do anything to hurt him on purpose, but what if he didn't see her for months at a time? She would have plenty of opportunities to meet and get to know someone else...

As Hermione approached with a tray of food, Ron realized that his stomach had tied into a knot, and he didn't think he was hungry anymore. She sat down next to him, but almost immediately realized that something was wrong.

"What is it?" she asked, concerned.

"Noth-" He paused. He couldn't lie to her, but what could he say? "Don't worry. I'm fine." He smiled to reassure her. It wasn't a lie really, was it? He was fine... He was fine... At least he told himself that...

"Eat," Hermione said, handing him a plate full of delicious looking meat and bread. She was clearly still worried, but wasn't going to mention it... at least not yet.

"Thanks," and he dug in, forgetting his stomach ache.

When they had finished, Hermione took their tray to a trash can and set it on top. As she was returning to her seat next to Ron, a loud voice announced that their flight was boarding. Hermione's eyes went wide and she stood stiff, looking over the chairs to the hallway that led to their waiting plane.

"Ready?" Ron asked, glancing over his shoulder where Hermione was staring. When he looked back, Hermione was nodding, but wouldn't look at him. He stood, took her hand, and after a moment, she started to walk towards the line that was forming in front of the terminal.

"Another queue," Ron said, trying to cheer Hermione up. "It really is a pattern with us lately."

When they reached the front of the line, the lady standing by the door asked to see their passports and tickets. Ron handed his to her first, then stepped out of the way while she inspected Hermione's. They started down the long hallway, and Ron's eyes widened. He was walking so slowly that everyone behind them was going around them.

"Ron..." Hermione said, pulling on his hand. "Come on."

"Hermione..."

He caught a glimpse outside the hallway through a little window and could see the front of the plane they were headed towards.

"_That_'s it? We are going in that _thing_?!" Ron pointed out the window, but Hermione continued to drag him forward, shushing him.

They reached the end of the hall and climbed on, Hermione leading the way towards their seats. Ron kept falling behind, trying to take everything in at once. Their seats were near the back and to the side, which meant that no one else would be sitting on either side of them and one of them would get a window seat with the other taking the aisle. Hermione's ticket was for the window, but she asked Ron if he'd like it and he stared at her blankly, so she motioned for him to sit down and scoot over to the window. Hermione sat down, then leaned back in her chair, glad to finally be on the plane, but feeling a little quiver in her stomach at the thought of what they were about to have to do.

"Hermione," Ron began, looking out the window. "We're really high up in this thing. How big is it? You sure this can hold up in the air like you said? How do they know where to go? It's a long way to Australia, isn't it. You said we were stopping somewhere halfway to change aerioplanes, right? Do they know that? Do we need to tell them we have to stop? Why don't we just go the whole way anyhow? Is there-"

Hermione leaned over in her seat, laughing. She couldn't help it. She knew Ron was probably drawing attention to them, but she didn't really care all of a sudden.

"What?" Ron asked, staring over at her. When she finally sat back up again, she smiled at him.

"It's lovely traveling with you, Ron." And she meant it, but Ron glared at her, taking her comment as sarcasm.

"It's not my fault I don't know how these things work," he said under his breath. "What do you expect?" He felt guilty that he was such an idiot when it came to Muggle things. He wished now, for the first time, that he had taken Muggle studies... then maybe he wouldn't look so dumb in these situations.

"Ron," she said, putting her hand on his arm. "I didn't mean anything. I really do enjoy it. I know you don't..."

She lowered her voice to a whisper and Ron leaned in closer to hear her, his face only a couple of inches from hers.

"I don't expect you to know how all these things work. I forget sometimes how different the two... ways... are. I'm used to both, see? Growing up with my parents in London and then at school with you."

Ron nodded, feeling a bit better. He settled in to his seat now, trying his best to look natural. Hermione leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Everything's taken care of," she said quietly, answering his questions from earlier. "They know exactly what to do and we're perfectly safe."

Ron smiled. He suddenly wanted to tell her how much he loved her, but he didn't know if it was the right place to talk that way. He'd make sure to tell her later, once they were at their hotel. Their hotel... Ron closed his eyes. He didn't want to think about that. He still had no idea how he was going to figure out where to stay.

A rumbling sound began and gradually got louder and louder. A man's voice came on suddenly, booming through the inside of the full airplane, telling them all that he was their pilot and would be operating the plane.

Ron looked around now, noticing how many people were really in this thing. It was amazing honestly, he thought, that they could fit all these people into this contraption and fly halfway around the world with them, keeping them all safe.

A woman in a uniform stood up in the front and showed everyone how to buckle their seat belts and what to do in case the plane crashed... Ron didn't like that bit and looked to Hermione for reassurance again. When she was done, the woman walked away through a curtain, and Ron went about fastening his seat belt as he had been told to do.

The plane suddenly began to roar and move slowly forward. Ron hardly noticed it at first. He leaned to the window, his eyes glued to the view outside passing them by as the plane rolled slowly down a paved path. As it gained speed, the roar increased and Ron felt himself being pressed back into his seat a bit. Hermione took his hand and he looked over at her. She had her eyes closed, but looked peaceful.

Ron couldn't help looking out the window as the plane moved faster and faster and finally left the ground with a strange lurch and bumping sound. They soared higher and higher above the ground and Ron stared out the window, his eyes wide, until they were high up into the night sky, the houses and buildings below represented by nothing more than small distant lights and shadows.

An announcement came on, telling them all that they could remove their seat belts and move about if they wanted to. But Ron really just wanted to try to get some sleep. He was still feeling the effects of getting up at 6am. He didn't know if he'd be able to sleep in his seat, but Hermione leaned against him again, her arm looping through his, and he decided that maybe it wouldn't be so hard after all. He leaned back, lifting his arm to wrap it around Hermione. She pulled up the arm rest that was between them and leaned even closer to him. He sighed, closing his eyes. Yes, he'd be able to sleep quite well...

*******************************************************

When Hermione's eyes opened again, she found herself pressed tightly to Ron's side. She sat up straight, stretching, Ron's arm lifting in his sleep to stay around her shoulders as she moved. She smiled over at him as he continued to sleep. When she noticed the drink cart coming close to them, she tapped Ron gently on the leg. When he didn't wake up, she tried a very different approach. She reached over and tickled him under the arm that was raised over her shoulders. He squirmed, then quickly ripped his arm from around her shoulders and opened his eyes.

"Hi," she said, laughing.

"Good one," Ron said, sarcastically. "But revenge will be sweet." Hermione grinned up at him.

The drink cart pulled up next to them finally and the woman asked them what they wanted to drink.

"Ron, do you want something?"

He nodded, yawning, but just as Hermione was about to ask him what he wanted, she realized that he probably didn't know what most of the things on the cart really were. He probably hadn't had many Cokes before. So she ordered them both waters to be safe and took the packs of snacks that the woman offered them.

"Here," she handed him his water cup and reached forward to lower her tray. Ron watched her, then copied her movements to lower his own.

"How long have we been traveling?" Ron asked, studying his pretzel bag.

"Quite some time actually. We slept for hours."

Ron raised his eyebrows, shocked.

"Felt like minutes," he said.

"Yeah. This part of the flight is twelve hours, so I'd say we're halfway to Hong Kong by now."

Ron whistled.

"Merlin, that's a long time to get somewhere. And to think, we'll still have another one of these to get on after that. How long's that second one?"

Hermione reached into her pocket for her boarding pass.

"Nine hours," she said, folding the boarding pass again.

"Wow." Ron leaned over and put his lips against Hermione's ear, whispering so only she could hear him. "We'd have been there hours ago if we had all our Apparition licenses."

She shivered at the feel of his warm breath against her neck and ear. When he leaned back up again and started to open his pretzels, Hermione realized that she hadn't really talked to him about his Auror training which would begin in a couple of weeks.

"Are you nervous about starting your training?" she asked, wishing almost immediately that she hadn't said that here. She hoped Ron wouldn't forget where he was when answering her...

Ron opened his mouth to say a lot of things that he quickly realized he couldn't say on a Muggle airplane. So he thought for a moment of how to talk without using any words that belonged solely to the Wizarding world. He found it much more difficult than he would have thought.

"Well, yeah, I suppose I am. It's going to be tough. I don't think we have a day off for quite a while. We train every single day! Everybody says it's hell at first, but I reckon we'll get used to it."

Ron thought for a moment as he ate. What if he hadn't been accepted, if things had gone differently? What if he hadn't received that letter on the same day that Hermione received her Hogwarts letter? Would he go back to school with her? He didn't want to go back to Hogwarts for another full year if it wasn't necessary, but he figured that he'd choose to go if it meant he could be with her. He found himself speaking out loud before he realized what he was saying...

"Hermione, you know I'd go back to school with you if I hadn't just gotten accepted... for training. You know it probably wouldn't be my first choice of ways to spend the next year, but with you there... I know I'd do it anyway just to..." He blushed, looking down and taking a long drink of his water to avoid Hermione's eyes.

"You'd... really do that?" Hermione was shocked. She hadn't expected him to say something so lovely out of nowhere. Ron finally lowered his water glass and looked at Hermione, summoning his courage. He had been having to do a lot of that lately, but it had been worth it so far.

"You know I would."

Hermione's smile stretched quickly all the way across her face, and she leaned up, kissing him softly. He closed his eyes, not even caring if other people on the plane could see them. When she pulled back, he turned so his back was against his seat again and put his arm over her shoulders. She rested her head against his shoulder again, closing her eyes.

"I could probably sleep another six hours," Ron said with a smile as he closed his eyes.

*******************************************************

They woke up together, Hermione straightening up in her seat and trying to stretch her legs out as much as she could with the seat in front of her knocking into her knees. When Ron tried to stretch, it was a complete failure.

"You want to get up and walk around?" Hermione asked. Ron nodded.

"Where's the restroom on this thing?" He hadn't even thought about that before.

"In the back, just go until you see a little door off to the side with a card on it that will either say 'vacant' or 'occupied'" Ron gave her a vaguely confused smile, then allowed her to stand up so he could get out and stretch. His head reached the ceiling, but he could just barely straighten his legs, so he locked his knees and lifted them one at a time, letting his muscles untangle. Then he started for the back, and quickly found a vacant restroom.

When he returned to his seat, Hermione wasn't there. He wondered briefly if he had forgotten where they were sitting, but soon saw Hermione heading back down from the restrooms as well. She blushed, waited for Ron to take his seat, then joined him, not looking directly at him.

"What?" he asked, watching her carefully.

She looked like she was about to speak, then thought better of it. A woman passed by them and Hermione glanced away from her and reached forward for a magazine from the seat back in front of her. She hid her face in it as a man passed them, following the woman towards the front of the plane.

Ron leaned in to her, whispering...

"What happened?"

After a moment, Hermione deemed it safe to speak, so she put the magazine back and turned to Ron, cupping her hand over his ear. She couldn't believe what she was about to have to say, and it took her a few moments to even figure out how exactly to say it.

"You saw those two that passed us?"

Hermione felt Ron nodding against her hand.

"They were in the restroom... together..."

Ron backed away to look at Hermione, raising his eyebrows.

"Uh..." He paused, scratching his neck. He lowered his voice as he nearly mouthed his next words. "You can do that?!"

Hermione shook her head, then turned away, blushing even deeper now.

"Wait, how do you know that, Hermione?"

"Saw them coming out," she said, not meeting his eyes.

"So they were..." Ron paused, swallowed, then felt his ears burning. "_You know_..."

Hermione nodded.

"Really?!" Ron's eyes widened.

Hermione nodded again.

"In that tiny little place?!"

Hermione laughed nervously now.

"It's actually not _that _uncommon," she said, reaching for the magazine again.

"How do you know that?"

"Because. I've heard about it. It's sort of a known thing that people do, even though they aren't supposed to. People think it's a bit of a thrill actually..." She knew she must be purple by now. Her face was burning all over.

Ron laughed, then quickly stopped, an image entering his mind without his permission... an image of Hermione and him in one of those little airplane restrooms... and she wasn't complaining. He shifted in his seat awkwardly, then turned to look out the window again, deciding that it was much safer at the moment to distract himself with something else than it was to attempt to continue having a conversation about _anything_, much less _this_, with Hermione.

No more was said about the incident, but Ron hadn't stopped thinking about it when they reached Hong Kong. The plane started to get lower and lower to the ground, and everyone was asked to stay in their seats and buckle their seat belts. It was weird noticing now that it was the middle of the day in another country. They had flown all night long.

As they came closer to landing, Ron's eyes fixed to the window, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the seat. He trusted Hermione, but trusting her and experiencing it were two different things now that it came to it. Ron was so relieved when the plane landed and safely rolled to the terminal that he got up from his seat the moment the plane came to a stop.

They slowly made their way out of the plane and into another terminal which Hermione led them through towards their next plane. By the time they reached the boarding area, they had less than an hour to wait. They decided to go together this time to get something to eat, seeing that the boarding area wasn't nearly as full as it had been in London the day before. After they finished eating, Ron noticed that the sun was already starting to set outside.

"How odd," he said. "It's nearly night again already. I don't think I'll be sleeping on this one, Hermione."

Hermione put her hand to her heart and pretended to faint. Ron let out a loud laugh at the sight of her.

"But Ron, your favorite thing to do is sleep... and eat..." she added, pretending to think hard for something else.

"Yeah, yeah," Ron said, sitting down to wait for their plane. "And your favorite thing to do is read, but I don't tease you about that one."

Hermione laughed now.

"Ron, that might be the biggest lie you have ever told."

Ron grinned, settling into his chair, his legs stretched out in front of him.

*******************************************************  
_  
__**May 8, 1998**_

Their plane ride to Australia from Hong Kong was relatively uneventful. They stayed awake for most of the time watching movies on screens in front of their seats. Hermione took at least fifteen minutes trying to explain to Ron, without anyone else overhearing, what movies were and how they were able to be shown on TV screens. It hadn't gone especially well; Ron seemed more perplexed after her explanation than he had before she had started, but he said nothing else and seemed to enjoy the films even still.

When they finally got off the plane, Ron realized how tired he was. It was odd, feeling like he had done nothing but sleep and eat for such a long time, yet still not feeling like he had really been gone _that _long.

"Ron, it's only 7am here," Hermione said thoughtfully as she led them down to the baggage claim area where she told Ron that their bags would be waiting for them.

"Blimey, I feel like it's midnight." Ron yawned as if on queue as they waited for their bags to come around the rotating platform.

They picked up their bags and went to the front desk where Hermione asked a nice elderly clerk for a map and information about where they might be able to stay. Ron was too distracted by the cars and people running about around him to pay much attention to what the woman was telling Hermione, but as soon as Hermione had thanked the woman and walked away, Ron followed her as she told him what she had learned.

"There's a hotel nearby that we can check into. We can walk it. I have directions." Hermione led the way out of the airport and around towards the side. Cars zoomed past on the busy road to their left as they walked. A large building loomed ahead. Hermione informed Ron that it was a hotel that was moderately priced. She said the airport clerk had told her that there were rooms still available.

Finally, Ron decided that the time had come and he had to say something before they got to the hotel and he lost his chance...

"I wanted to ask... well..." Hermione looked over at him as they walked, but his eyes wouldn't meet hers.

"Yes?"

"When we get to the hotel... do you want... I mean... where should I stay?" Ron rubbed the back of his neck and nervously adjusted their bags on his shoulder.

"Oh..." Hermione tried to act like it hadn't crossed her mind already, but it had. She didn't want to assume that he wanted to share a room with her. How could she possibly answer him? "Do you want your own room, Ron? I guess I can understand. Would you be more comfortable..." she trailed off, wishing she hadn't spoken at all.

"No," Ron started. "I don't want my own room." He couldn't believe his ears. Had he really just said that?!

"You... you don't?" Hermione asked, and Ron thought he heard relief in her voice.

"Well... unless you want me to... I mean... I can..."

"No! No, Ron, that's fine." She tried to smile up at him, but blushed and looked away.

"Okay." At least that was settled... mostly... he thought as they continued to walk along.

"You know I didn't have nightmares the night before we left either," Hermione said thoughtfully after a moment.

"Me either," Ron added.

They continued in silence and entered the hotel through doors that automatically opened when they got close to them. Ron spent a moment inspecting them, but soon caught up with Hermione, trying not to be noticed.

"We need a room," Hermione said to the man behind the counter, pulling her money out of her jacket pocket.

"Do you need it now?" Hermione nodded. "You'll have to pay for last night. Check in for today isn't until 3."

"That's fine."

"How many nights?" he asked in a bored tone of voice.

"Well... we're not sure. Can we get it for three and then let you know?"

He didn't answer, just started to pound away on a keyboard that Ron recognized from the London airport check in.

"Just one room?"

Hermione nodded, but the man didn't even look up to see her. After a pause, he looked up expectantly, thinking she hadn't yet answered him.

"Yes," Hermione said in a loud voice, her cheeks turning pink. The man returned to his board and the pounding continued.

"How many beds?"

Ron hadn't expected this. He tried to look distracted, hoping Hermione would just do something and get it over with.

"Whatever is cheapest," Hermione answered, and Ron thought that was about the best way to avoid the question that he could imagine. How did she do it?

"One cheap room," he said sarcastically. "Three nights..." The man reached for a paper and ripped it from a roll, handing it to Hermione. "Sign here," he said, pointing vaguely towards a line that she was supposed to sign on. She signed quickly, then the man started talking about amounts of money and Ron felt himself getting confused again. Stupid Muggle money...

But Hermione handled it, like usual, and they headed up towards their room. Hermione unlocked the door and they went inside. She immediately felt chills up and down her arms.

"Someone left the air on..." she said, moving towards a big box against the far wall, under the window. Ron closed the door behind them and dropped their bags on top of a large dresser at the foot of the bed.

"Hey, Hermione," he announced, standing in front of the bed. "There's one of those telly boxes from the airplane in here. Isn't that what this is?"

Hermione turned around after switching the air down and saw that Ron was right. A large television sat on a stand at the foot of the bed.

"Exactly," she said, smiling.

She took off her jacket and sat on the end of the bed, looking around. Ron joined her, sitting very close but not touching.

"Is this alright?" she asked in a small voice after a moment.

"What, the room?" Ron asked.

Hermione nodded.

"Sure. Don't know what would be wrong with it..." Then he realized that she had probably meant the fact that they were to share a bed for as long as they stayed here. But Ron couldn't think of a place he'd rather be at the moment. Hermione seemed to be falling asleep sitting up, and Ron was feeling very tired himself. He knew that Hermione would want to start looking for her parents right away, but it couldn't hurt to take a quick nap, could it? He fell backwards onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling, and silently hoped that Hermione would join him. But she got up and rummaged through her bag for her pajamas.

"I'm going to change," she announced as she went to the bathroom and closed the door. Ron felt like changing out of his clothes as well. He actually felt like taking a shower, but was much too tired to imagine doing that right now. He felt mixed up. It really shouldn't be morning right now, he thought.

After a moment, he wondered if it would be safe to quickly change in the room while Hermione was in the bathroom, but the risk of her coming out while he was changing made him decide against it instantly. He would go in after her, though he hoped she wouldn't fall asleep before he came back out. He wasn't really sure if it was okay to sleep right next to her. Why didn't he know that? She had slept in his bed at home for two nights in a row. Why was this any different? But it felt different, being in a room like this where no one else was around to bother them.

Hermione came out of the bathroom yawning, wearing her usual t-shirt and pajama pants. She went straight for the bed and untucked the blankets as Ron disappeared into the bathroom.

Hermione was thinking very similar things to what Ron had just been thinking. She didn't know what she was supposed to do now and felt foolish wondering. She had already slept with him... twice. What was the big deal now that they were away from home? She climbed under the covers and decided that she would pretend to be asleep. She was so tired that as she laid there pretending, she _did _fall asleep just before Ron came out of the bathroom in his pajamas.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath when he saw her in the bed so still and turned away from him. What was he supposed to do now?

Slowly, he walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge on the side that Hermione had left empty. The covers were turned back most of the way on that side.

Ron swung his legs around so he was leaning against the headboard. He looked down at Hermione and smiled, watching her eyelids fluttering in her sleep. His heart felt like it was swelling up inside of him. He couldn't believe how lucky he was to be here. She really was beautiful, he thought, recalling their conversation a couple of nights ago when she hadn't believed anyone in the world felt the way he did about her.

A quick flash shot through Ron's head of a different time and place, a different order of events that would have led him to a completely different place now. Hermione wasn't there. He didn't even know her. He hadn't met her on the train first year. She had been a name he had heard around school, but they had never been friends. Realizing now that this could have been his reality, he sunk down into the bed, feeling immensely relieved that he was exactly where he was and that all of his choices had led him to this very moment.

Soon, he was sleeping soundly, his neck bent oddly against the top of his pillow. Hermione awoke, feeling him beside her, and turned towards him, draping her arm over his chest. He moved in his sleep, turning his head towards her and reaching up to hold her hand in his. Hermione closed her eyes, falling into a deep and peaceful sleep with a smile on her face.


	6. The Yellow Pages of Sydney

**Chapter 6** - **The Yellow Pages of Sydney**

_**May 8, 1998**_****

When Ron opened his eyes, he heard the shower running. He immediately realized that he was alone in the bed, but could still feel the warmth radiating from Hermione's side of the bed. He sat up and reached for the clock on the table next to the bed. 10:14. It was time to get started. He slid to the end of the bed and reached for his bag, searching for clean clothes to wear for the day. First, a shower, he thought as he saw his reflection in a mirror behind the dresser. His hair stuck up all over the place in spikes. He ran his hands through it, trying to make it lie down a little, but it really was no use.

He heard the shower shut off, then shuffling around as Hermione moved about in the bathroom...

Hermione dried quickly, wondering if Ron was awake yet. Her nerves were going crazy. This was it. She was really down to the last moment now. It was time to start their search. She had a few leads. Her first plan was to go to the place in town where Muggles were registered when moving from overseas. She was going to see if her parents had registered here, and if they had, she'd have a start. She'd know that they came through Sydney first. It wasn't much, but it was something.

As she exited the bathroom, she found Ron sitting on the edge of the bed, his clothes in his arms.

"Good morning," he said brightly, standing and coming towards her.

"Morning," she sighed, trying to smile up at him as he passed her into the bathroom.

"Shower, then food?" Ron asked, looking back out at her.

Hermione nodded as he closed the door.

*******************************************************

Twenty minutes later they sat in the hotel lobby eating a rather dry continental breakfast.

"So this is food? Are you sure?" Ron asked Hermione under his breath as he bit into a slightly stale cinnamon bun.

After breakfast, they headed for the front lobby where Hermione told Ron that a taxi would be waiting for them to take them to the embassy. Hermione was sure that she would have some luck there in finding out exactly where her parents had gone.

"This embassy..." Ron began as they exited the taxi in front of the embassy a while later. "You think they'll be able to give you an address?"

Hermione shrugged.

"I'm not sure if they'll do that considering there are no records of my parents ever knowing me or being related to me in any way. I don't think it would be wise for a place to practice giving out personal information to any random person off the street."

"Oh," Ron said, feeling a little deflated. "Yeah, that's a pretty good point. So..." He wanted to ask what Hermione was planning to do here then if she didn't think they'd give her the information she needed, but he didn't want to make her feel even more nervous than she already was. Fortunately, she seemed to read his thoughts exactly and answered his unasked question.

"I'm only hoping that they can tell me if my parents even arrived here in Sydney, because otherwise, it's time to look in another city."

"Oh, right," Ron said, nodding.

But an hour later, Ron and Hermione exited the embassy having had no luck whatsoever in locating Hermione's parents.

"Well," Hermione began, her voice shaking slightly as they walked back down the front steps. "We'll just... go to the library." Ron smiled slightly but looked over at her, not sure what they could possibly find at the library that could help them locate Hermione's parents.

"What will we do there?" Ron asked her as they headed down the sidewalk.

"We... we can find a directory and hope that they listed their home telephone number in there."

"Ah," Ron said, actually understanding this for the most part. "Good idea."

But Hermione was looking down at her feet as they walked, occasionally sniffing or hastily running a hand through her own hair.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked as they stopped at a traffic light to wait for the signal to walk across the intersection. Hermione nodded but said nothing.

"The library isn't too far," she began as they started across the intersection, and Ron took this change of subject to mean that she didn't wish to talk about it anymore, so he didn't mention it again.

The library was a failure as well however, and after spending hours pouring over directories for not only Sydney but almost every other major city in all of Australia, the sky outside had turned a deep blue and almost every one seemed to have deserted the library. Ron and Hermione finally left, Hermione not speaking at all, and Ron not sure what to say to her.

When they reached the hotel, they wordlessly climbed the stairs to their floor and entered their room.

"I'm just going to wash up," Hermione said as she grabbed her pajamas and headed into the bathroom. Ron said nothing, just watched her go. He didn't know what he could say. He sat down on the edge of the bed and thought hard. It had only been one day. He was sure that they would find Hermione's parents, but he knew that it was upsetting her just how little they had accomplished today. And he understood. He knew what it was like to lose someone after all... and in his case, there had been literally nothing to do to change it, to fix it, to reverse it... at least for Hermione, there was a very good chance that everything would be okay. Ron felt his eyes watering as thoughts of Fred flooded his mind. He leaned back into the bed as he heard the shower cut on in the bathroom...

In the shower, Hermione tried hard not to cry. She held her breath against the tears she felt welling up in her eyes. _It has only been one day_, she told herself, but she couldn't help feeling like they'd be searching in vain for her parents for quite some time. And even if they found them... she closed her eyes now, unable to continue holding her tears back. As soon as her warm tears fell from her eyes, she heard her loud chokes and sobs but couldn't quite believe that they were coming from her, and when she heard the bathroom door bursting open, she didn't even stop; she hardly even noticed... But suddenly, she realized that Ron had been calling her name, and his voice broke through her pain and she felt her trembling slowing down.

"Hermione..." His voice was insistent but so distressed. "Please... say something..."

"Ron..." she choked out over the roaring of the shower. The water was now so cold that her teeth were chattering. She leaned against the tiled wall of the shower and turned the water off, now becoming aware of where she was and who was just on the other side of the curtain from her. She wondered if he could see her shadow through the thin, light material.

"Tell me you're okay and I'll leave so you can come out." He was begging her to reassure him that she was - that she _would _be - alright.

She nodded, knowing that he couldn't see her. Then slowly, she pushed away from the wall, wrapping her arms around her body.

"I'm okay, I just need to get out. It's freezing in here."

After a brief pause, she heard him leave, shutting the door with a click. She climbed out of the shower, noticing that her lips were turning blue from the cold. She took a towel from the rack and dried herself for much longer than was necessary, then dressed and checked her reflection for signs of her tears. But she realized that she wouldn't be able to cover it up, so she ignored the way she looked and left the bathroom.

Ron was pacing on the other side of the door when she came out. The moment he heard the door opening, he froze, trying to find her eyes as she walked out. As soon as she looked up at him, she realized that he had been crying as well. His eyes were red and puffy and his cheeks were flushed, but despite knowing that he was suffering as well, he had come in to make sure she was alright, and even now, standing before him, she knew that his only thoughts at that moment were of concern for her. She couldn't believe how lucky she was...

He reached a hand out to her and she took it, but walked away, leading him to the bed. When she reached the bed, she fell back onto it, dragging Ron down with her and practically on top of her. He rolled to the side just a little, giving her more room and trying not to crush her, but still staying so close that their hearts remained together. He could feel hers beating against his chest as he looked down at her.

"I'm sorry, Ron, I didn't mean to startle you."

"Don't!" He hadn't meant to speak so loudly. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and took a long breath. "You don't have to be sorry at all."

She sniffed, staring up into his puffy eyes.

"I was scared something had happened or... I was just worried," he said, and Hermione thought she could see a blush creeping up his cheeks even though they were already red. "I'm sorry I barged in on you." Now she definitely saw him blushing.

"Don't be." She reached up and held his cheek in her hand.

"What happened, Hermione?"

She shook her head.

"I'm fine now. Don't want to talk about it," and Ron left it... for now. After a moment, Hermione furrowed her eyebrows, staring into Ron's eyes. "Ron, what happened to _you_?" she asked.

He looked down at her, puzzled.

"Your eyes are red and puffy."

"Oh..." He looked away, but leaned his cheek into her palm. "It's nothing. I'm fine."

"I have a question for you then."

He looked down at her now and smiled briefly, knowing that she would get him to tell her everything she wanted.

"No fair, I let _you _off the hook," he said, closing his eyes. He was getting lost in the way that Hermione felt underneath him, and her palm against his face felt so cool and comforting against his warm skin.

"You don't have to tell me," she said, removing her hand. Ron opened his eyes, missing the contact of her skin against his immediately. He slid his arm under her and rolled, pulling her with him until she was pressed up against his right side under his arm, her head on his upper arm. He was almost lying on his back, but stayed facing her as he spoke.

"I was thinking of... Fred."

Hermione suddenly felt awful. Ron had just lost his brother... _really _lost him. And she had just been crying uncontrollably about parents that she still had a chance of seeing again, of being with for a long time to come. And Ron had been worried about _her_. He had come to be sure _she _was alright when he wasn't alright himself.

"I suppose I never really let everything that happened hit me completely. After we came back from Hogwarts, once everything was over, I couldn't even eat or be around anyone for very long at a time. I felt like I just wanted to sleep all day long and wait for something to change. Then that night, the night I came to see you and asked you up to my room... It was so easy to forget everything and just be with you, because as horrible as everything else around us was and had been, I... I felt so in love with you that everything else went away."

Hermione felt tears slipping down her cheeks again.

"Oh, no. I'm not saying any of this the right way. You know I'm terrible at this, Hermione," he said, giving her a half-smile and reaching up to brush her tears from her cheeks.

"You aren't saying _anything _wrong. I just... I can't believe that you... I still can't..." She couldn't go on. But he seemed to understand. He leaned over a bit and brushed his lips against her cheek. When he moved back, she was smiling, but blinking often.

"Your eyes are red too, Hermione," he said softly, touching her eyebrow gently with his index finger. He hoped that he could coax her into talking about what she had refused to say moments before.

"Thinking of my parents," she said in a small voice. Ron nodded.

"I thought so. You know, I thought of something while you were in the shower. What about those Muggle yellow books with all the stores and people listed in them? You looked up a place to get that car to pick us up in Glenoak. Your parents were both dentists, and I know you didn't change that about them when you altered their memories, so wouldn't it be likely that they have an office here somewhere for them t-"

But Hermione leaned over him and put both of her hands on his cheeks. She kissed him, closing her eyes tight, and muffling the rest of his words. When she finally pulled back, she was grinning.

"Oh, Ron! You're brilliant! Why didn't I think of that? I feel so stupid now..."

"Did you just call me brilliant? Write that down and date it so I'll never forget it."

Hermione laughed now, watching as Ron smiled back at her.

"Don't worry. There will be plenty more opportunities for you to make me say that. Besides," she paused, thinking. "I'm sure I already have."

Ron nodded, then leaned over to kiss her again. Everything that she had felt before, all her worries about finding her parents were replaced with hope now at Ron's words. She couldn't believe that she hadn't thought of it before. They were sure to be listed in the yellow pages somewhere. The directory had been a failure, but plenty of people left their home telephone numbers out of directories, and after all, her parents had only been in Australia for about a year now. They might not have had the chance to register. But for their business, and she was sure they would have continued as dentists, they would have listed their contact information in a yellow pages ad. All she had to do was to search through the ones here in Sydney, and if that didn't work, they'd move on to the next place, then the next, and eventually, she was sure she would be able to find them.

When Ron and Hermione finally separated again, they had sunk down deeper into the pillows and were both lying on their sides facing each other, their legs tangled together under the blanket that they had somehow gotten underneath. Hermione's right hand was in Ron's hair and his left hand rested on her lower back, while his right one cupped her cheek against the pillow. He shifted, then slid his right arm under the pillow, pulling himself a bit closer to her. As Ron moved his legs under the blanket, his ankle pushed up on Hermione's pajama pants accidentally, exposing a bit of the bottom of her leg. When her skin came into contact with his, his first reaction was to move quickly away.

"Blimey! You're freezing!"

"I didn't realize how cold the water was getting."

Ron reached down with his left hand and pulled the blanket up more tightly around them. He moved his sock covered feet close to hers, bending his knees to reach, and took one of her ice cold bare feet between both of his, rubbing back and forth, trying to warm her.

"Do you want my socks?" he asked after a moment, continuing to rub her foot. "They're pretty warm."

He paused, then chuckled.

"Clean, even," he added, and Hermione smiled.

"But you need them."

"Nah, my feet aren't cold at all." He smiled, then moved his feet to her other foot and began to rub.

"Fine, but if you want them back, you have to say so."

Ron sat up, pulling his feet up and out from under the covers. He took off both of his socks, then crawled down towards the foot of the bed. He pulled the blanket up from the bottom until Hermione's feet poked out at the end. He grabbed one foot, then began working his extra large sock onto her tiny foot. Hermione couldn't help but laugh when his fingers brushed against the bottom of her foot.

"Ticklish?" he asked, grinning up at her. But as he reached for her other foot, she jerked it away.

"I'll do it. I know your tricks," she said, sitting up.

"Hey," Ron said, pretending to be hurt by her words. "I wouldn't! I was only trying to help you."

She reached forward and took the sock from Ron, pulling it onto her foot.

"Sure you were," she said sarcastically, but she gave him a small smile as he climbed back up the bed to join her under the covers again.

"Better?" Ron asked as he settled back into their position from earlier. Hermione nodded, then yawned.

"My eyes are sore. I hate crying," she said, closing her eyes.

"Yeah, me too. Feeling better now?"

She nodded, keeping her eyes shut. Hermione felt so comforted and loved at that moment. She knew it was silly, but she felt her heart leap thinking about Ron's socks on her feet. She wished now that she had worn his Chudley Cannons shirt to bed. She could have gotten it from her bag. She had packed it there after all. She felt her cheeks getting warmer thinking of that. But her thoughts continued down a path that she didn't really want to stop, yet knew she should. After all, she was in bed with him right now. It was hard to hide her blush as she imagined Ron taking off his shirt to give to her, to warm her up of _course_... She pictured how he would look, the shapes of his muscles, and the freckles that she knew were probably covering his skin underneath. When she opened her eyes, he was staring at her, and she thought he might look away, embarrassed, but he kept his eyes on her.

Ron didn't want to look away anymore. He didn't want to hide the fact that he stared at her every time she wasn't looking. He wanted to be able to stare at her while she _was _looking. He slowly moved his hand along her lower back until it reached her right side. He stopped, his fingers itching to continue trailing along her side, but he had no idea if that was something he was allowed to do. Hermione slid a tiny bit closer to him so that he could feel her body heat against his chest and stomach.

Ron knew they should probably try to get some sleep, but as tired as he was, and as much as his eyes burned, he couldn't just end it now and fall asleep. But what was there to end anyway? What was he even doing? He had no idea.

He slowly realized that Hermione's hand was moving against his back towards the hem of his shirt at his waist. She stopped as she reached the edge, nearing a bit of skin that was exposed from the bottom of his shirt along his lower back. He shifted, feeling the heat of her palm against his back, and her shirt rose a bit on the right, his fingers brushing her skin as his hand moved very slightly against her side. Hermione's eyelids fluttered slightly for a second, then she moved her hand down to his lower back, her fingers resting against his skin.

Ron closed his eyes automatically. This was like torture, he thought, his legs nearly twitching against hers under the blankets. Every bit of skin on his back was now breaking out in goosebumps, and he could feel the goosebumps forming on Hermione's side where his fingers still sat, trembling slightly.

Hermione had no idea what to do next. Ron's skin was so warm against her fingers. She didn't know if she should move away. Ron didn't seem to mind her being there at all, and his fingers were on her skin too. Was she allowed to move her hand under his shirt? She could imagine the way it would feel... it was maddening, not knowing what to do, stuck in between something and nothing.

Ron smiled then, and she wasn't sure if it was a nervous smile or not. But then he dipped his head, leaning his forehead against her cheek, and she felt him laughing, his hair tickling her eyes and nose.

"Ron..." she said softly, a smile forming on her face as well. Why were they acting like this? Nothing was funny, was it? But maybe it _was_... her head felt light and fluffy like someone had injected her with helium.

She moved back from him and he looked up at her, still smiling. As she scooted down off the pillow, making her face level with his, he closed his eyes. She leaned towards him, kissing him deeply and closing her eyes, her hand twitching on his back until they had pulled their bodies completely together. She finally moved her hand under his shirt, her palm pressed against his skin. She felt him copying her movements, moving his hand up against her skin until his palm laid flat, his hand covering a very large portion of her back.

When their lips parted in need of air, they didn't move their hands or bodies away from each other, but after a movement, Ron scooted back from her just a bit so that only their legs remained in contact. He didn't move his hand out from under her shirt however, and when Hermione opened her eyes, she saw that he was squeezing his eyes tightly shut, breathing through his mouth, his head titled slightly down.

"Ron, are you okay?" she asked, a little concerned.

"Yeah, yeah..." He didn't move. "Fine."

He rolled away from her now, almost onto his back, taking his hand with him and ending the contact he had had with her skin. His right arm remained stretched out under the pillow that Hermione's head was now on top of. He brushed his hair off his forehead and opened his eyes, staring up at the ceiling.

Hermione was really starting to worry now. Had she done something wrong?

"Ron, did I do something wrong? I'm sorry..."

"No!" He turned to her, gave her a small smile, then moved his eyes away again. "You didn't do anything wrong. I'm just... ah..." He closed his eyes again. How was he going to say this? Well, he wasn't going to, that's how.

He blushed bright red, thinking about his current problem. He wondered how much Hermione knew about how these things... worked. He also wondered if she ever thought about the kinds of things that he thought about... and dreamed about... involving her. He also realized that he knew next to nothing about how these things worked with girls. He wondered if Hermione was just as clueless about him as he was about her. Sure he had read things, heard things from having so many older brothers, but he had never been in a situation like this. He had snogged Lavender for a good portion of sixth year, and this had never really been a problem. He had never thought about things like this with her. In fact, when they kissed, he hadn't felt much of anything at all. Harry was right when he said that kissing was wet, but he was wrong when it came to kissing Hermione... wet was the last adjective that he'd use to describe the way _this _felt.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself staring up into a pair of very concerned looking chocolate eyes, and he felt a little guilty. She was only worried about him, but what was he going to say now? He had to say _something_...

"It seemed like you were in pain," she said softly.

"Not... pain exactly..." Ron said, then blushed harder. This was horribly awkward. What if she was angry at him for having thoughts like this? Was he allowed to think what he did about her?

"Oh," she said, still watching him carefully. She was waiting for him to elaborate.

"Bloody hell," Ron muttered. _This _was torture. Screw everything else before now.

"You don't have to talk about it," and she turned away, back to her pillow. She seemed a bit defeated.

"Hermione... sometimes..." He wasn't going to look at her if he was going to keep talking, so he continued to stare up at the ceiling as he spoke. "Sometimes it's just... it's too much, do you know what I mean?'

"What is?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

"You know... what we were just doing..."

Now Hermione blushed. She was starting to get an idea of what he was referring to. She felt a little silly not thinking of it sooner. But that meant... did Ron really think things like _that_ about _her_? She wondered what he would do if he knew the kinds of things that she thought about him... and dreamed about. She bit her lip. Of _course _Ron thought about things like that. She had read enough to know that it was just how it worked with boys. But... well, he loved her, so did that make it different? She knew it did for her. She would never think about anyone else the way she thought about Ron. She never had. She remembered a dream she had had in sixth year about him, and blushed even deeper. How did people talk about this? _Did_ they even talk about it? How was she to know what he wanted and to make him know what she wanted without saying it?

"I... see..." she said slowly, then wished she hadn't spoken at all. Ron closed his eyes again and sighed slightly.

This was far too difficult, she thought.

"What do we do now?" she asked timidly.

"Dunno," Ron breathed.

It crossed Hermione's mind that someday, as long as everything continued to go well for them, and she felt fairly certain that it would, they would end up in a situation just like this again, only they wouldn't stop here... She shivered a little as she thought of that, and Ron opened his eyes again and looked over at her.

"Are you still cold?" he asked, effectively changing the subject for now.

"A bit," she said, realizing that it wasn't really a lie, even though she hadn't been thinking about the temperature of the room when he'd asked...

Ron's problem seemed to be going away as he reached over to her, pulling the blanket up around her. She crawled over close to him, resting her head on his shoulder and draping her arm over his chest. She knew she was already getting used to sleeping like this, and never wanted it to change. Her foot moved up his leg and she bent her knee, letting her leg fall over his.

He smiled as his eyes closed again. Falling asleep like this felt so wonderful, he thought, reaching up to move his fingers along Hermione's arm. And for now, he didn't care if she understood what had just happened. If she had, she didn't seem to mind, and someday later... well, they'd get to that. But for now, he was happy right here and knew that he always would be, as long as she would let him.


	7. Welcome Back

**Chapter 7 - Welcome Back**

_**May 9, 1998**_**  
**  
Ron awoke to find himself tangled up around Hermione. They had somehow gotten even closer in their sleep. Half of her body was nearly on top of him, and her leg was squeezed across both of his. His legs appeared to have decided to try to twist around Hermione's so that they could never be freed. Her hair was splayed out across his chest and neck, puffing up across him in waves and curls. And his arms... somehow his left arm had managed to curl all the way around Hermione's back and his hand was twisted up inside her shirt... _Inside _her shirt?! He glanced down now. The covers had pulled back away from her and nearly half of her back was exposed. He could see a good portion of her pale white skin up to the point where his arm dipped under her shirt...

He couldn't move. If he moved, maybe he'd find out this was a dream. Maybe he'd find out that he was imagining it. Maybe she'd wake up and move!

He closed his eyes again. Maybe he could just go back to sleep. Yes, that's what he'd do, then he wouldn't have to budge. But, as if mocking him, the alarm went off, filling the room with its buzzing just as his eyes shut all the way again.

Hermione shifted a bit, waking up. He really couldn't believe his bad luck. But just as she raised her head up to look at him, just when he thought it was all over, she smiled, then settled back down onto his chest.

"G'morning..." she said, her voice muffled against his shirt.

Ron had never felt like this before. This was incredible. He wanted every day for the rest of his life to start like this. He wanted to _marry _her...

It wasn't like he hadn't thought it before. He knew he was going to ask her someday, but he hadn't thought so seriously about it and so suddenly... He wanted to do it now. He didn't care that they were young and had only really been together for a few days. He had never been more sure of anything else in his whole life. He wished he could tell Hermione this very thing, but he knew he wouldn't have the courage. What if she didn't feel the same? This wasn't just love anymore for him. But what came after that? There was no word to describe the way he felt, he decided. It was more than he could ever have imagined.

"Morning," Ron returned in a hoarse whisper.

After a long pause, Hermione sighed against his shirt and looked up at him again, her eyes bright and awake now.

"We'd better get started," she said softly.

"Yeah," Ron agreed, though he was still reluctant to move out of bed.

As Hermione sat up, his body felt instantly colder. The rather large area of his chest, side and stomach where she had been lying were suddenly much more perceptible to him, as if her body had been ripped violently away from him...

He shook his thoughts away as he sat up too, brushing his hair off his forehead. Hermione was already leaning over her bag and pulling out her clean clothes. She disappeared into the bathroom with a quick shy smile over her shoulder as she closed the door. Ron grinned back at the closed door, his head feeling very light. He heard the sink cut on in the bathroom and climbed out of bed quickly, heading for his own bag. He pulled out the first available clean clothes and began to strip down frantically. He wasn't sure what possessed him to attempt to change while Hermione was in the bathroom. After all, she was very fast at getting ready in the mornings, unlike most girls Ron knew...

Just as he was trying to pull his shirt on over his head with haste, the bathroom door clicked open and he shoved his arms into the arm holes. His back was to the door and he could feel her eyes on him as he adjusted his shirt, pulling it down to cover his whole torso. His face had risen several degrees in temperature and he didn't really want to face her yet, but he reluctantly turned around anyway... and was instantly glad that he did.

Hermione was standing in the doorway, clearly staring at him, her eyes glazed and dark and her mouth slightly open.

"Uh, sorry," Ron muttered. "Thought I'd just... change while you were in there." He chuckled a bit nervously. "Didn't quite make it, did I? You're so fast..."

Hermione swallowed visibly but said nothing. She managed to nod her head slightly and turn her lips up marginally into an attempted smile at Ron's comments, but it really didn't fool anyone, not even Ron. He felt his heart hammering inside his chest, his eyes on hers. But then she looked away, her cheeks pink.

"Ready?" she asked as she brushed past him without looking at him to get her bag. She headed for the door without waiting for Ron's reply, and he followed her silently down to the lobby, completely thrown by what had just happened.

Desire. That was the only word he could think of to describe what he had seen written all over Hermione's face when he'd turned around. But that was impossible. Hermione was a girl. A very logical, practical, brilliant girl. She just didn't go around losing all reason at the sight of a bloke's bare back... especially _his_. Pale, thin, freckle covered... and he was sure there must be a scar or two there that he didn't know about. He had found several in various places just over the last year that he hadn't really realized he had. So what was Hermione doing looking like that at _him_? Oh, he knew she enjoyed snogging him, he had figured that out already. It was delightful, unexpected, completely amazing... and now this... it was just too much to hope for...

"Ron?" Hermione said again, and he blinked down at her.

"Oh, sorry," he mumbled. "What did you say?" They had somehow ended up standing in the middle of the lobby facing the main desk. He didn't even really remember the walk down from the room at all...

"I'm going to get a phone book from the receptionist," she said with a funny sort of smile.

"Okay," Ron said in a hoarse voice. He cleared his throat and smiled back as she walked over to the front desk. He heard her voice asking for the yellow pages, and then she was walking back over to him, carrying a very large book and looking extremely nervous. He tried to clear his mind. They had a lot to do today and he wanted to be there for her completely. He knew she needed his help... and even his company. He cleared his throat again and smiled. "Ready?"

"Ready," she said back, and she took his warm hand in her own.

They walked together into the lounge of the hotel. Hermione sat in an arm chair and Ron sat on the couch next to it. He watched as she flipped open the book with hesitation.

"I know it's too much to hope for that they are still in Sydney. So, I don't expect to find them in this one. We can look in yellow pages for other cities next." Ron could tell that she was trying not to get her hopes up, so he simply nodded at her negativity and stared down at the book in her lap as she flipped through it. His eyes scanned the page quickly, skipping things that seemed irrelevant, no matter how interested and confused he was about some of them. But then, suddenly, he spotted a listing for "Wilkins" and his eyes widened.

"Hermione..." he began softly. He reached over to the book and ran his finger down the page, stopping at the listing. Hermione took in a sharp breath as she stared at the spot just above Ron's index finger. It read "Wilkins Dentistry". It was just too much of a coincidence...

"Ron..." she whispered in a strangled voice. "This is it... it has to be."

Ron nodded, awed by how quickly they had found her parents. He was sure it was them.

Hermione remained very still and silent, staring down at the name as Ron gathered their things.

"Ready?" he asked, though she didn't look ready at all. She nodded silently and stood, closing the phone book, tucking it under her arm, and picking up her bag. Ron followed her back to the front desk where she gave back the phone book and asked for a taxi.

When they had settled on a bench outside to wait for the taxi, Ron gently took her hand, feeling the heat in his cheeks but not caring.

"So they made it. They're okay," Ron said, trying to make her feel better, not exactly sure what it was that she was worried about. They had found them. Ron had expected her to be overjoyed, not stunned and mute.

After another long pause, he tried again.

"I know you can set them right, if that's what's worrying you. And even if you can't, so what? Someone at St. Mungo's can. You'll have to tell them what happened, or come up with a really good lie, but we're experts at that now, aren't we?" He gave her a half-smile, but she merely nodded once and returned her gaze to the street where the taxi was now pulling into the hotel parking lot.

Hermione stood, dropping Ron's hand in the process, and adjusted her bag on her shoulder. They climbed wordlessly into the back of the cab and Hermione gave the address, though she seemed so distant... Ron was worried, but didn't know what to say or do. Nothing he could think of seemed like the right thing to say. He didn't feel like he was cut out for this sort of thing, cheering someone up. He always over thought his words now so he wouldn't say something stupid, but because of that he hardly ever felt confident enough lately to try to make a go of it.

He didn't know what she needed, or whether she needed anything from him in the first place. Maybe he didn't need to be there at all. Maybe she didn't want him there... He hadn't thought of that before...

He studied the side of her face as she fiddled with the strap of her bag absentmindedly, nervously. He wished he could see her thoughts inside her head, then he'd know.

"Hermione," he tried after a long while. She showed no signs of having heard him, and he took that as a sign not to continue speaking. He turned and looked out his window for the duration of the drive, biting his lip as he thought hard about what to do.

And then the cab was slowing down in front of a gray building with glass doors at the entrance.

With a muttered "thank you", Hermione exited the cab, followed closely by Ron. She paid for the ride and stood still outside the office. She wondered if Ron could hear her heart beating. It felt like it was coming right out of her chest. This was it. She would walk through those doors and either see her parents, thinking they weren't her parents at all, or she'd find out that they had been injured... _killed_...

But it didn't look like their office had suffered any damages. It was open, inviting, and bustling with people, much like their business back home had been. If something had happened to them, logically this place would show some signs of it. The front sign still read "Wilkins Dentistry". Chances were very much in Hermione's favor. Her parents were inside this building, a wall away... but a whole world away until she set them right again. And then suddenly, like being snapped out of a trance, she heard Ron's voice...

"Do you want me to leave?" So soft, timid, like he was scared of breaking her. She turned towards him.

"Never," she found herself whispering. He smiled and she felt a wave of peace wash over her.

"Okay," he said, still smiling gently at her.

"Thank you."

Ron nodded, and they stared at each other for a long moment before Ron furrowed his eyebrows, obviously pondering something...

"Shall I go inside first, have a look around?" he asked.

"No," said Hermione. "Together. I'll go mental standing out here waiting for you to come back."

"Okay."

"Okay."

And now that there was really nothing left to say, to even think about, Hermione found her legs moving of their own accord, Ron sticking very close to her side as they climbed up the front stairs. When they reached the top, to Hermione's surprise, Ron opened the door for her and didn't even blush. She tried very hard not to grin, not wanting to embarrass him.

"Thanks," she said as she crossed the doorway into the small office.

Patients sat in chairs around the room, against the walls... and straight ahead was a cubicle, behind which sat a young woman, clicking away on a computer. Hermione approached very slowly, planning out what she was going to say...

"Excuse me," Hermione said, then cleared her throat. The woman looked up and nodded. "I'd like to see Dr. Wilkins, please."

"Which one?" the woman asked, obviously not for the first time.

"Which one is available?"

The woman blinked at Hermione before looking down at a pad in front of her.

"You don't have an appointment?" she asked without looking up.

"No. Sorry."

"We're all booked. Do you have something urgent that needs looking at?"

But then, suddenly, Hermione was staring directly at her father where he was chatting with a patient at the desk on the other side.

Ron followed her gaze and recognized the man she was staring at. He knew instantly that he was her father.

"Can we just..." Ron started, moving closer to the desk. "Mr. Wilkins!" he called, to Hermione's horror. The man turned, and his eyes landed on Hermione. She clutched the counter, her fingers turning white at the pressure.

"Excuse me," said Dr. Wilkins to his patient, but the man was distracted with paying his bill and didn't seem to care that Dr. Wilkins was now focused on Hermione and Ron. "Is something wrong? Do you have an emergency?" he called out to them.

"Yes," Hermione said before she could stop herself. "Please, can I just come back..."

"Come along quickly and I'll have a look," Dr. Wilkins said kindly.

"They haven't filled out the patient form," said the woman behind the desk.

"Nevermind it," said Dr. Wilkins. "I'm only checking the problem. They can fill it out in a few moments. Come on back," and he motioned for them to walk around the counter and through the door that separated the lobby from the back offices.

Hermione clutched Ron's hand tightly as she passed through the narrow door, and he had to turn his arm awkwardly to keep holding on as he followed her through.

"Come with me," Dr. Wilkins instructed. "Are you having pain, sensitivity?"

"Both," Hermione lied as she followed Dr. Wilkins into a small room, pulling Ron along with her.

"Have a seat," said Dr. Wilkins, motioning towards the chair in the center of the room. Ron couldn't keep the shocked expression off his face. Dr. Wilkins chuckled.

"The knives?" he asked, picking up a metal tool from a tray. But Ron hadn't even noticed those before. His reaction had only been to the odd looking chair covered in plastic. But now that he saw the tools that Dr. Wilkins was probably about to use on Hermione, he felt the blood drain from his face.

"Don't!" Ron shouted as Hermione let go of his hand and moved to sit in the chair.

"Ron, it's okay," Hermione said, her voice very soft and shaky.

"But shouldn't you, I mean... don't you need to..." Ron rambled. It was clear that Dr. Wilkins was not used to someone getting quite _this _worked up over a simple exam. Ron knew he had to cover for himself somehow, just long enough for Hermione to set her father right. His eyes landed on the open door... "Shut the door! Don't you need to do that?"

"Oh, yes, sure," said Dr. Wilkins, looking a bit less perplexed as he closed the door with a click. Ron caught Hermione's hand slipping into her jacket as Dr. Wilkins turned his back on them. Ron caught her eye and gave a quick nod which she returned, her eyes very wide and terrified. And then she was pointing her wand at Dr. Wilkins...

She shouted a very complex spell, one that was so long that Dr. Wilkins had plenty of time to turn a very confused face towards them, spot Hermione's wand and determined expression, and back against the door. And then it was over. The flashes of light that had issued from Hermione's wand faded and died as they wound themselves around Dr. Wilkins' head. His eyes went blank. His muscles relaxed. And just in time, Ron spotted his knees buckling and reached out to support him.

Ron looked over his shoulder where Hermione stood just behind him, her eyes full of tears, her wand held limply at her side.

"Dad?" she said in a very tiny voice. And to Ron's delight, Dr. Wilkins' eyes lit up with recognition and he gripped Ron's shoulders, trying to support himself on his own.

"Hermione?"

But just then, the door to the office banged against Hermione's father's back as a woman tried to get inside the room.

"I heard shouting! What's going on? Wendell?!"

It was Hermione's mother.

"Come inside," Ron said frantically as he helped Hermione's father to the middle of the room. "I think he's okay, but you might want to-" but before Ron could finish his story, Hermione had raised her wand again and repeated the same spell, this time aimed at her mother. Ron frantically leaned her father against the counter, his own legs now sturdy enough to hold him, and moved to stand next to her mother, afraid she might fall too. But she didn't. She slumped her shoulders, blinking furiously, and when she looked up, she was crying.

"Hermione?"

Her mother stepped forward so she was arm to arm with her father, a mere three feet in front of their daughter. They stared down at her in awe.

"Welcome back," Hermione sobbed to her parents as she moved forward to embrace them both at once, tears welling furiously in all of their eyes.


	8. I'm Wherever You Are

**Chapter 8 - I'm Wherever You Are**

_**May 9, 1998**_

When the Grangers pulled apart, finally reunited as a family, Ron shuffled his feet on the tile floor, feeling awkward and unsure if he should stay... But when Hermione's eyes landed on his, it was like she had read his mind. She smiled at him through her tears and he felt much more comfortable all of a sudden.

"Mum," Hermione sniffed, "Dad..."

They stared down at her in awe.

"There's so much... so much I need to tell you," Hermione said.

"What happened to us?" asked her mother in a small voice.

"I want to tell you everything, but not here," Hermione said, her eyes darting to Ron again.

"Hang on," her father said suddenly. "I... I feel so..." He looked around the room as if it was the first time he'd ever been inside it.

"I know," Hermione said quickly, looking extremely guilty. "I promise I'm going to explain. But we have to go somewhere where we can talk. Alone."

Her parents exchanged confused looks before nodding in agreement.

"Come back to our... well, to the house where we live," said Mr. Granger, his eyebrows furrowing as he struggled to comprehend why his 'home' no longer felt like home...

"Okay," Hermione said with a nod.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger turned around and found themselves face to face with Ron whom they had obviously forgotten was even in the room.

"Ron?" Mrs. Granger asked as if she wasn't entirely sure that he was real.

"Yes, hi," said Ron, trying to smile pleasantly at her, but looking quite nervous.

"Ron came with me to help find you," Hermione explained, but her parents just looked even more confused and she shook her head. "Come on, it'll make sense..." but just as she was about to open the door and lead them all outside, she paused and turned to her parents. "Listen," she said, "this is where you work now, this office. They think that you're on the job right now. We've got to come up with some excuse..."

Mr. Granger looked extremely flustered and overwhelmed, but suddenly, Mrs. Granger nodded and reached for the door handle.

"Whatever's happened, I'm getting to the bottom of it right now. Paul," she added, addressing her husband. It took him a very long time to turn and face her, as if his brain was just too muddled to even comprehend that his wife was speaking. "Just follow my lead and act like we haven't been living the past year as completely different people..." Mrs. Granger gave Hermione a stern look as she wrenched open the door and stepped out into the hallway. She moved quickly, and it took a moment for Hermione, Ron and Mr. Granger to catch up to her where she was now speaking to the woman behind the reception desk.

"And take messages if anyone calls, cancel our appointments. I'm so sorry... this really is an emergency." The woman behind the desk stared wide-eyed up at Mrs. Granger as she finished speaking, then handed Mrs. Granger her purse from a locker under the desk.

"I'm sorry..." the woman said in a small voice.

"Come on," Mrs. Granger instructed, leading the way back through the lobby and out the front door. "Where's... our car...?" She looked around, blinked, then snapped out of her momentary lapse and crossed her arms as she headed around the side of the building to the employee parking lot. "Get in," she said in a slightly less confident voice as Ron, Hermione and her husband reached the car that she was now unlocking.

Mr. Granger walked around to the passenger's side as Ron climbed into the back seat after Hermione. The moment the doors had slammed shut and the car had been started by Mrs. Granger, she glared into the rear-view mirror at Hermione.

"Start talking," she said in an emotionless voice as she pulled out of the lot and onto the street.

Hermione blinked back tears, trying to decide what to say first...

"Mum," she said quietly.

"I hope you have an absolutely astounding explanation for this!" Mrs. Granger shouted suddenly. "My life is in pieces inside my head! I don't know how we ended up here or even what we're _doing _here! And I know you did something to us! You sent us out here, made us _forget _you even existed! Until you did whatever you did with your... with your _wand_... I had NO IDEA who you were!"

Hermione was in tears now, her lips trembling. Ron watched her, his expression changing from concerned and caring to slightly annoyed.

"Mrs. Granger," Ron said suddenly, in a voice that was much louder than even he expected. "I know this is confusing for you, but Hermione saved your lives! If you'd just let her get to the point, you'd understand why it was necessary for her to do what she did. Do you think it was easy for her to lose her parents for a year? We weren't just off playing games for the past eleven months. And I'm sorry if I'm out of line, but please just let her tell you what happened and why before you scream at her..." He was blushing like he hadn't blushed in a very long time by the end of his speech. He could not _believe _what he had just done... It wasn't uncommon for him to speak his mind without thinking first, but this was just _insane_! He wanted to throw himself out of the car now that he had come to his senses during the last few sentences of his lecture...

There was a deafening silence in the car when Ron had calmed down. Hermione stared at him in disbelief and she could almost hear her mother's jaw dropping. Mr. Granger had now turned around in his seat and was looking back at them with a mixture of amusement and surprise on his face.

"Sorry..." Ron mumbled after a moment. But Mr. Granger finally spoke.

"Ron," he began, "honestly, you're quite right. We don't understand. And that's precisely why Renee got so upset just now."

Ron looked sheepishly down at his hands in his lap and said nothing.

"As hard as I'm sure it's been for you, Hermione," Mrs. Granger continued after another long pause, "it's just so confusing, like waking up from a long dream or a coma."

Hermione nodded, sniffing.

"I'm sorry..." she said in a tiny voice that was barely audible, even to Ron where he sat right next to her.

"I'm sorry I got so angry with you," Mrs. Granger said in a wavering voice. "Just please explain it to us."

Hermione nodded. But before she had the chance to speak, Mr. Granger was pointing out the window to the left.

"It's here, Renee," he said. "This is the turn, right?"

She turned the car, and they were momentarily distracted with several more quick turns through a suburban area with two story houses lining the streets on either side.

Hermione caught Ron's eye and he knew immediately that she was not angry with him for his outburst, something he had been fearing. He gave her a very small guilty smile and she leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. He felt uncomfortable suddenly with letting her parents see them being so close with one another, but when he heard Hermione sniff quietly again, he decided that it really didn't matter... He put his arm around her shoulders and she scooted even closer so that her head rested against his neck. He smiled and looked out the window as Mrs. Granger pulled up the driveway of a two story house.

"Here we are," said Mr. Granger. "Come inside, we'll have some tea... and sort this all out..." He exited the car and so did Mrs. Granger. Ron took Hermione's hand and they climbed out as well, following Mr. and Mrs. Granger up the front steps and into the house.

"Go on into the sitting room," said Mr. Granger as he took off his white dentist's coat, shaking his head. "Could have at least stopped to change out of these."

Ron and Hermione followed Mrs. Granger into the sitting room which was located at the back of the house. She sat on the very edge of the sofa and waited for her husband to enter the room. The moment he had seated himself next to his wife, Hermione began to speak very quickly.

"Last May, when I returned home after my sixth year at Hogwarts, there was a war going on in our world."

"The Wizarding world..." Mr. Granger interjected, slightly uncertain. But Hermione nodded.

"That's right. And Harry was at the center of it. As much as I've told you both about Harry, I never told you the most important thing, the thing that we weren't allowed to tell anyone..." Hermione paused for a moment and glanced over at Ron. "The thing is, this dark wizard, the one who killed Harry's parents when he was a baby, he's been targeting Harry." Mrs. Granger gasped.

"Why?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"Because of a prophecy that was created before Harry's parents died, a prophecy that foretold of a wizard who would have the power to destroy Vol..." Hermione's voice hitched slightly, feeling strange about saying his name even now. But she cleared her throat and moved on. "Voldemort."

"I've heard his name," said Mr. Granger.

"I believe I told it to you when I first explained to you what happened to Harry's parents," Hermione said, and both of her parents nodded.

"So..." said Mrs. Granger slowly. "He was trying to... to kill Harry?"

"Yes. And we were trying to stop him. But that's not all he wanted. His goal has always been to rule the Wizarding world, to make it how he wants it..." Hermione paused and looked at Ron again. "He was the most vile, evil, inhuman creature who ever lived..." Hermione added, a look of pure hatred on her face. "And he would have killed you!" she cried. She slid forward on the couch so she was barely sitting on it anymore, her voice rising as she continued. "He would have hunted you down, and not just for information about Harry. He wouldn't have thought twice, wouldn't have hesitated to murder you both simply because you're Muggles! But because Harry is our best friend," Hermione said, her eyes darting to Ron, "you were in even more danger. We were sure that Vol... Voldemort or his followers would come and try to find me. They'd come to the house and torture you for information, force you to tell them where I was! But you wouldn't know. You would have died!"

Hermione paused, blinking and catching her breath, but she continued quickly before anyone had time to say anything...

"We - Harry, Ron and me - were given a task, a way to finish him, to stop him from taking over. But we weren't allowed to tell anyone what it was..."

Mr. Granger interrupted her.

"Why would someone give three seventeen year olds a task like that?" he demanded as his wife looked on, horrified.

"Because Harry was the only one with the power to destroy Voldemort. And we, as his best friends, knew more about Harry and what he had to do than anyone else. No one made us go. No one forced us. It was our choice, but one that we had to make in order to stop Voldemort. Harry couldn't go alone, and he was told not to tell his plans to anyone but us!"

"People were turning against each other," Ron interjected. "It was hard to tell who was on your side. So we went alone because we trust each other with our lives. And if Harry goes... well, we go too..." Ron scratched his neck, looking slightly nervous.

"Right," Hermione nodded. "I had to protect you," Hermione added, looking pleadingly at her parents. "I couldn't tell you I was leaving because you'd try to stop me."

"Damn right we would have!" shouted Mr. Granger.

"But I couldn't let you do that! We knew the danger we were facing, but we also knew the price that would be paid if we didn't go..." Hermione said, her eyes wet and glistening again.

Mrs. Granger let out a sob and reached for a tissue on the side table.

"So... I had to send you away. I knew you wouldn't go willingly, wouldn't leave me to it if I asked because... well, you're my parents and you'd want me to be safe. But it wasn't about me anymore. It was beyond all of us..." Hermione paused for a moment, watching sadly as her mother dabbed at her eyes with her tissue. "So... I... I changed your memories."

Mr. and Mrs. Granger stared at their daughter, waiting for further explanation. Hermione looked away from them and continued...

"It was the hardest choice I've ever had to make. But I knew that if something... if something happened to me, you'd be safe here, in Australia. So I made you think you were Monica and Wendell Wilkins. I left you your occupations and... and I tied up the lose ends in London... we still have the house, if it hasn't been destroyed..." Hermione blinked, trying to stay strong. "And you can go back to your office there too. I can sort it out there. I got you in this mess to begin with..."

Hermione looked down at her lap, overwhelmed. Her parents watched her, her mother quietly sniffing and her father's eyes wide. And finally, after a glance at Ron where he sat very close to Hermione's left, looking gently at her, nearly oblivious to the fact that anyone else was even in the room, Mr. Granger nodded.

"This is mad," he said softly. "I can't even begin to imagine all the 'sorting out' that has to be done now... just to move back home with you, to try to start our lives where we left off..." He paused but Hermione didn't look up at him yet... "But I love you, Hermione," he said, standing and moving to sit on her right. "I'm just... just so glad you're alright." He hugged her and she returned it, feeling fresh hot tears roll down her cheeks as she closed her eyes. And then her mother was getting up and heading over to sit on Hermione's left. Ron stood and backed up, trying to make himself invisible...

When they all parted again, Mrs. Granger wiped at her eyes and stood.

"I'll make some tea," she said in a soft voice. And Mr. Granger stood to follow her into the kitchen. But before he left the room, he smiled at Hermione, then nodded at Ron where he stood against the wall by the hallway door.

Once Mr. and Mrs. Granger were out of earshot, Ron approached Hermione where she remained on the couch.

"Could have gone worse," he said.

Hermione looked up at him and nodded slightly, uncertainly. Ron sat on the couch next to her.

"There's going to be so much to fix now," Hermione said in a slightly defeated tone.

"Yeah..." Ron's eyes landed on Hermione's hand where it rested on the couch cushion next to his thigh.

"I might have to stay here tonight, Ron," Hermione said, looking a little guilty. "I know it's probably sort of uncomfortable for you, so you... don't have to stay..."

Ron's eyes finally moved away from Hermione's hand at her last words.

"What are you on about?"

Hermione looked up at him.

"If you're staying, I'm staying. I'm wherever you are," Ron added.

Hermione's lips twitched as Ron's ears flushed.

"I mean, unless you want to be alone with your parents, which I understand, obviously..." Ron trailed off.

"Stay," Hermione said softly.

"Yeah?"

Hermione nodded.

"Good," Ron said with a slight sigh.

He smiled at her and she smiled back. But then they heard footsteps as her parents returned to the sitting room with the tea. Mrs. Granger smiled and handed Hermione a cup.

"Sugar, Ron?" she asked as she placed a tray on the coffee table. Hermione laughed and Ron glared playfully at her.

"Uh, yes, please," he said to Mrs. Granger. Hermione stifled another laugh, and when her parents' backs were turned, Ron poked her in the side.

"Glad you find this so amusing," Ron whispered.

Mrs. Granger turned to hand Ron his tea but Hermione shook her head.

"Better add another cube, Mum," she said, and this time _Ron _had to hold his breath to keep from laughing.


	9. Separated

**Chapter 9 - Separated**

_**May 9, 1998**_

The next few hours passed by quickly. Ron remained fairly quiet but present as Hermione explained at length (but, Ron noted, strategically leaving out the more terrifying details) what she, Ron, and Harry had been doing over the last year and what it all meant for them now. When she reached the Final Battle, she paused and glanced at Ron sadly before informing her parents, in a small voice, of Fred's death. Though her parents had only met the twins once and could hardly say that they knew them well, Hermione's mother gasped and her father became very quiet and solemn after she broke the news to them. They seemed to regard Ron with a lot more sympathy and kindness for the rest of the evening.

At quarter past seven, Hermione's mother warmed up some leftovers and served a simple meal. Ron thanked her repeatedly for her hospitality, still feeling guilty about speaking so harshly to her in the car earlier. But she hardly seemed to remember the incident, and, if anything, it appeared to have caused Hermione's father to regard Ron with more respect as a result.

Finally, at nearly ten, Hermione's mother yawned and, with puffy eyes, informed Hermione that she was going up to bed.

"Mum," Hermione started as they all stood from the couch and chairs in the sitting room, "Ron and I have hotel reservations by the airport..."

"Oh," her mother said before Hermione could complete her thought. Her mother nodded in a disappointed way and Hermione rushed on before her mother could say anything else.

"But if you have the space... and... if you want us to-"

"No," interrupted Mrs. Granger. "That's not necessary..." But she was still doing a bad job of hiding her disappointment.

"Do you have any spare rooms?" Hermione asked, ignoring her mother's dismissal.

"Yes, one, but-"

"We want to stay," continued Hermione, noting that her father glanced pointedly at Ron when Hermione said 'we'...

Ron looked away from Hermione's father, his ears turning pink. Hermione hurried on, trying to break the tension...

"One of us can stay in the spare room and one can take the couch." Ron looked up at Hermione.

"I'll take the couch. Obviously," he said to her.

"Not fair," Hermione argued. "We should flip a coin for it or something."

"Well that's not going to happen."

"Why, because I'm the girl?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows. Ron shrugged and she glared at him. "Maybe _you _have to take the room because you're the _boy_!"

"Goodness! You weren't kidding," said Mrs. Granger with a mixture of amusement and annoyance in her tone.

Hermione and Ron both looked up at her as if they had just remembered that anyone else was in the room.

"What?" asked Hermione, looking slightly confused and embarrassed.

"You told me once that the two of you could literally find an argument in anything. Now I see what you mean," Mrs. Granger said with a chuckle as she raised her eyebrows.

Hermione and Ron both blushed deeper shades of red.

"Are you sure you wouldn't be more comfortable back at your hotel?" Mr. Granger asked, but he looked a bit protective all of a sudden, like the idea of Hermione choosing to return to a place where he couldn't see her with a young man who obviously meant a lot to her was too much for him to handle at the moment...

"Yes, of course, Dad," Hermione said with a smile. "We'll be fine here. We just need to get our clothes."

Hermione glanced at Ron now.

"Apparate straight there?" she asked him. He nodded. "Be right back," she said to her parents. She and Ron stood and she tugged his arm, leading him to the entryway out of her parents' view. "Scares them a bit, Apparition," she explained with a small smile before turning on the spot and vanishing from view with a pop.

* * *

Hermione appeared at the foot of the bed in their hotel room, and a moment later, Ron appeared next to the dresser a few feet away. They smiled shyly at each other for a brief moment before both turned and began to pack their bags.

"Should we just take everything?" Ron asked after a moment. "Is there any point in assuming we'll come back here at all now we know where they are?"

Hermione looked hesitant, but she honestly didn't think it was likely that she'd be able to leave her parents now that she had found them, especially not after everything she had put them through.

"I guess we might as well check out of here," she admitted. Ron nodded and went back to packing.

* * *

In less than fifteen minutes, Hermione had checked them out of the hotel and they were ducking behind a bush to Apparate back to her parents' house.

"Ready?" Hermione asked as she adjusted her bag on her shoulder.

"Ready."

They appeared side by side in her parents' entryway again, but unfortunately, Hermione's mother was making her way to the stairs and caught a glimpse of them appearing out of thin air. She gasped and clutched her chest. She shook her head, trying to recover from her shock.

"Sorry, Mum," Hermione said as she approached her mother. "Didn't mean to startle you."

"Hermione, _that _will _always _startle me..."

Hermione gave her mother another apologetic look.

"Come with me," Mrs. Granger sighed, still slightly shaken. "I'll show you to your room, Hermione. Ron, feel free to put your things in the living room. I'll be down in a few minutes with a blanket and a pillow for you."

"Thank you, Mrs. Granger," Ron said.

Hermione glanced over her shoulder at Ron before following her mother up the stairs and out of Ron's view.

* * *

A few minutes later, Mrs. Granger returned to the living room with Mr. Granger and Hermione. Ron looked up at them, wondering for a second why it was necessary for all three of them to return downstairs... especially Hermione's father...

Mrs. Granger handed Ron and blanket and a pillow with a smile.

"Thank you," Ron said, "and thanks for allowing me to stay here." His ears turned pink but he pressed on, ignoring it. "It's really nice of you."

"Well, it's quite nice of _you _to come all the way out here to Australia to help Hermione," Mrs. Granger said, smiling. Mr. Granger nodded kindly as well, and Ron felt instantly more relaxed.

"Well, goodnight," said Mr. Granger, kissing Hermione on the forehead and following his wife out of the room and back up the stairs. Hermione sat on the couch next to Ron and smiled. He smiled back.

"Will you be okay down here?" Hermione asked and Ron grinned wider, nodding.

"I've had much, much worse," he said, thinking of the months they had spent freezing and starving in the tent the previous year. Hermione understood his meaning and nodded.

"Feels weird to be picking up the pieces, doesn't it," Hermione said thoughtfully, scooting a bit closer to Ron without really thinking about it. "After everything we've been through, to not have anything to run from... it's odd..."

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "I know what you mean."

"Tell me honestly," Hermione said after a pause, looking into Ron's eyes. "Do you think they'll be okay?"

Ron smiled.

"Yeah, I do."

"Really?" She seemed unsure...

"Definitely."

"I hate that I had to do this to them. It's going to take a lot of work to fix it."

"Sure it will, but you've got all summer..." But the moment Ron had said it, he felt his heart sinking. He had to go back to England in a week to get ready to start Auror training with Harry on the 20th. It didn't seem likely that Hermione's parents would be ready to return home that quickly which would mean that Hermione would have to stay behind to help them. Hermione seemed to be thinking the same thing. She looked sadly down at her lap.

"What day do you have to leave?" she asked him. Ron thought for a moment.

"Maybe the 16th I guess," he said reluctantly. "I suppose I'll have to go back by... _you know_..." He paused, searching desperately for the term, but Hermione nodded.

"Airplane."

"Right," Ron continued. "And that wasn't exactly a quick trip."

Hermione leaned over so her head was resting on Ron's shoulder. Ron closed his eyes. It was like the moment that she touched him, he became suddenly aware that it had been much longer than he would have liked since they had last touched at all.

"Long day," Hermione said, yawning. Ron nodded. "Thank you... for everything."

"It's alright," Ron said casually as he put his arm over her shoulders. "Just glad to be with you."

Hermione smiled, though Ron couldn't see it. After a long silence, Hermione felt her eyes drooping, and knowing that it wouldn't do for her parents to discover her asleep on the couch with Ron, she lifted her head reluctantly from his shoulder.

"I should go up to bed," she said. "I can't fall asleep down here."

Ron nodded and removed his arm from her shoulders, looking disappointed, but knowing that she was right.

"There's a bathroom just off the entry," Hermione said. "Not sure if you saw it. And if you need anything, I'm in the first room on the right at the top of the stairs. I'll leave the door unlocked."

Ron smiled and nodded again before leaning in to kiss her. The kiss lasted longer than he had intended. Once he was kissing her, it was nearly impossible to stop. But he finally did, and she stood.

"Goodnight," she said in a scratchy voice, her cheeks flushed.

"Night," Ron said in a similar tone of voice. She turned and disappeared from the room. Ron sat very still on the couch until he could no longer hear her footsteps. Then he stood, reached for his bag, and took his pajamas to the bathroom to change.

* * *

**_May 10, 1998_**

It was four in the morning when Mrs. Granger heard the first screams. She sat bolt upright in her bed, her eyes wide.

"P-Paul!" she whispered nervously. But he was already awake and sitting up now too, looking just as alarmed.

"I think it was Hermione!" he said quickly, swinging his legs out of the bed.

* * *

Downstairs, Ron was scrambling off the couch and fumbling for his wand on the coffee table, and in a flash he had crossed the room and was taking the stairs two at a time. He spared no time to speak to Mr. Granger as he rushed out the door to his bedroom at the end of the hall. Instead, Ron held his wand at chest height and elbowed Hermione's door open, aiming his wand toward the inside of the dark room.

"Hermione!" he shouted. "Lumos!" His wand tip lit and cast a glow over the bed to the left where Hermione lay curled on her side, clutching a pillow to her chest tightly. "Hermione?"

Ron quickly scanned the room for any signs of movement before deciding it was safe and approaching the bed. He knelt down next to her and could almost instantly feel her father's presence behind him as he entered the room as well. But for some reason, Ron found it hard to care at all right now that Mr. Granger was watching him...

"Hermione?"

Hermione moaned slightly, her face scrunched up as if in pain.

"Hermione, wake up," Ron said, reaching out to shake her gently. Her eyes moved beneath their lids and finally opened. She blinked rapidly, looking confused. But the moment she saw Ron's face in the shadows above her, several thick tears rolled down her cheeks and she dropped the pillow in her arms, reaching up to pull Ron down to her. He let his wand fall to the mattress next to her head as he held her, sitting awkwardly on the edge of the bed. "S'ok," Ron said softly as she hugged him tightly.

She was shaking in his arms and it suddenly occurred to him that she might be in pain...

"You aren't hurt, are you?" he asked, moving back from her enough to see her face. She shook her head.

"Nightmare," she admitted in a whisper. "That's all it was because you're okay," she added, clearly trying to convince herself of this. "You _are _okay, aren't you?" she asked suddenly.

"Fine, I'm fine," Ron said.

"Hermione?" Mrs. Granger had entered the room too and was standing with her husband a few feet behind Ron. Ron glanced over his shoulder at Mr. and Mrs. Granger where they looked on, concerned. Hermione tried to give them a reassuring smile, but it wasn't very believable through her tears.

"I'm okay, Mum, Dad," she said. "Just a bad dream. I'm sorry I-I woke you..."

"You were screaming," said her father, still looking extremely concerned.

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't apologize, we just thought you were hurt or someone was... attacking you or..." Mrs. Granger's words trailed off as she continued to watch her daughter clutching Ron from her bed. But she finally let go of him and sat the rest of the way up against the headboard, looking worn out and still shaking slightly. "Shall I make you some tea?" Mrs. Granger asked, watching as Hermione reached for Ron's hand. He took it quickly, holding on tightly.

"That would be wonderful, Mum, thank you," said Hermione, still looking a bit guilty for waking her parents. Ron looked over at them again as Mrs. Granger left the room.

"If you're sure you're alright," her father said, "I think I'll go help your mother."

"I'm okay," Hermione said, trying to force another smile. Her father nodded, but his eyes were on Ron. He didn't look angry or even protective now for some reason. In fact, he had a look of gratitude for Ron's presence in the room, which Ron found a bit odd, but definitely much better than any alternative.

Mr. Granger left the room and his footsteps fell lightly but audibly on the stairs as he headed down to help his wife. The moment the hallway fell to complete silence again, Ron turned his full attention back to Hermione.

"What the hell were you dreaming?!" he asked in a whisper. Hermione looked away from him. "Sounded like someone was..." Ron stopped himself from saying 'torturing you' just in time. He felt his stomach plummet as he realized that the chances were probably high that Hermione had been dreaming that very thing...

"It's okay..." Hermione tried, but Ron shook his head.

"Tell me."

Hermione stared at him but said nothing.

"Okay, then I have a question for you," Ron began. Hermione sighed, defeated, knowing what he would ask already...

"Fine," she said. "Malfoy Manner. That's what I was dreaming about. Only it wasn't me they took."

Ron waited for her to go on, looking a bit confused.

"It was you," she added in a whisper. "They were torturing _you _up there instead of me. B-Bellatrix took _you _instead."

Ron's eyes widened slightly.

"And... and you were with Harry? In the dungeon?" Ron asked. Hermione nodded.

"I was screaming for you, just like you did for me. But I don't think you could hear me..."

Ron nodded, not sure what to say. He looked down at their clasped hands on Hermione's blanket, his eyes going in and out of focus as he felt his body relaxing, becoming tired once again now that the perceived danger had passed.

"Ron," Hermione said in a small voice after a moment. "When you leave... when you go back down to the couch... I'm going to have another nightmare, I know it."

Ron met her eyes. She seemed very small and her eyes were still very wet. But after a moment, she broke eye contact with him and sighed, regaining herself.

"It's okay. Anyway," Hermione continued, trying to sound more casual than before. "I doubt I'll go back to sleep. I'm not tired anymore."

"It's four in the morning," Ron said, looking at the clock on the night table. "You can't get up yet."

But Mrs. Granger's footsteps became suddenly audible as she climbed up the stairs to Hermione's room. Ron dropped Hermione's hand and scooted away from her slightly but remained sitting on the bed as Mrs. Granger entered the room with two cups of tea. She handed one to Hermione.

"Thanks," said Hermione in a hoarse voice as she took the cup.

"Ron, I thought you could use some as well," Mrs. Granger said kindly, handing him a cup. "Two sugars." Ron and Hermione both smiled.

"Thank you, Mrs. Granger," Ron said as he took the cup from her.

"You're welcome," she said. "Well, if you're certain you're alright..."

"I'm fine," Hermione said, and this time, her smile was a lot more genuine.

"Then we're heading back to bed."

Ron noticed Mr. Granger in the doorway now.

"If you need anything," Mrs. Granger continued, "our door will be open."

"Thanks," Hermione said as her mother and father left the room with one more glance back over at them.

"Hermione," Ron said, leaning in closer to her and lowering his voice. "What if I just kip on the floor in here? Your dad didn't seem to mind me being here with you in the first place... I mean, when we heard you..."

"Ron," Hermione cut in, looking a bit awestruck at Ron's willingness to help her, but still not at all convinced that his idea was a good one. "You can't sleep on the floor."

Ron opened his mouth to speak but Hermione got there first.

"And don't tell me '_you've had worse_'."

Ron smirked at her and shrugged.

"But it's true," he said.

"I'll be fine." Hermione's voice was more steady now and she was back to her usual self, trying to be strong even when she didn't feel it.

Ron gave her a skeptical look.

"Go back to the couch and get some sleep. I'm really not that tired."

"Hermione-"

"But I'm going to try to sleep," she continued. "And I'll be fine. I may even have some dreamless sleep in my bag actually," she added, realizing it for the first time.

"I'll get it," Ron said, jumping up from the bed quickly, eager to help her in any way he could. Hermione smiled, amused.

"Over there," she said, pointing towards her duffel bag where it sat on an arm chair in the corner. "There's a pocket in the front with a few pieces of parchment inside."

Ron unzipped the pocket and reached in, pulling out the papers.

"And?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at Hermione.

"Bring them here," Hermione instructed as she picked up her wand from the bedside table. As she moved, she nearly knocked Ron's wand off the side of her bed, but caught it just in time and placed it, still lit, on the table where her wand had just been. Ron stared at her hand for a moment as she let go of his wand. "Ron?" Hermione asked, and he snapped out of his trance and focused on Hermione again, blushing slightly, unsure why something as simple as Hermione holding his wand made his brain turn to mush...

"Here," he said, handing her the parchment. And with one flick her of wand, the first paper in the stack transformed into a small jar of powder. "Woah," Ron said, looking impressed. Hermione flicked her wand again and transfigured the next paper, then the next, and finally, she found what she was looking for. She dumped a small amount of the dreamless sleep into her tea.

"Cheers," she said before tipping the cup back and sipping the liquid. She took another long gulp as Ron sat on the edge of the bed again. "See," she continued. "I'll be fine after this stuff kicks in."

Ron seemed slightly less worried now that he had watched her take the dreamless sleep, but he still felt apprehensive about leaving her. Hermione sensed what he was feeling and smiled.

"I expect my parents will go in to work tomorrow to try and explain everything. So if you're lucky, you can get a few more hours of sleep before they get up for work."

"Hermione-"

"Knock it off, Ron," she said, but her tone was still light. "You're worrying too much. I'm okay now."

"Sorry," Ron said, giving her a half smile. Hermione shook her head.

"No, it's fine. But you should go back to the couch and sleep. It will be more comfortable, and my parents will be up early, knowing them. It probably wouldn't go over great if you slept in here anyway..." Hermione felt a sudden tinge of regret for turning Ron down. Truthfully, she really wanted him to stay...

"Okay," Ron said as he leaned closer towards her, his ears pink. "Come down if, you know, you need me... or anything..."

"Thank you," Hermione said as he kissed her cheek, his jaw slightly scratchy against her smooth skin.

"Right, off to the couch then," Ron said as he stood and picked up his wand from the night table. "Nox."

He crossed the room and lingered in the doorway for a moment before smiling back at her and leaving the room, not closing Hermione's door on his way out.

She relaxed into her pillows, hopeful that her dreamless sleep would help her, but not really feeling tired anyway. And she felt surprisingly lonely when she could no longer hear Ron's footsteps descending the stairs.


	10. Goodbye For Now

**Chapter 10 - Goodbye For Now**

_**May 10, 1998**_  
_**  
**_Ron didn't sleep the rest of the night. He tossed and turned on the couch, nervous about Hermione and afraid of his own dreams... Hermione came downstairs early, just after her parents entered the kitchen. She looked as tired as Ron felt.

The rest of the day passed quickly, however. Hermione's parents went in to their office to explain the previous day's events, which they did so by telling a series of believable lies. Hermione felt guilty for what they had to do, but Ron tired to reassure her that the benefit of having their daughter back would outweigh what had happened, and now that her parents had all the facts, some of the anger they had felt initially was starting to wear off. By dinner, they both seemed more comfortable and more like their old selves than they had the previous day. It was still going to take a lot of time, but they were making slow progress towards becoming a family again.

Their plan was to return to England as soon as possible and to rebuild their old house. Hermione was sure it had been damaged but had not been to see it yet. She wanted them all to go together when they returned to England.

Late that evening, Hermione finally went up to bed, smiling briefly at Ron but not lingering as she had the night before. He felt slightly confused by her, but said nothing. He wasn't sure what had brought on her need to be alone, or if he was simply reading her incorrectly. But he accepted it, allowing her the time and the space that he assumed she needed.  
_**  
May 11, 1998**_

Ron hardly slept the next night either, and he finally climbed the stairs up to Hermione's room just before dawn to check on her. He felt a little foolish, unsure if she'd even be pleased to see him if she was awake, but when he reached her closed door and heard no sound, he turned and headed back down the stairs.  
_**  
May 16, 1998**_

The next five days passed in a flash. Ron and Hermione had been helping Hermione's parents pack up their belongings. Mr. and Mrs. Granger had been renting their home in Australia which simplified things a bit. And since they owned their own clinic, they could close it as long as they gave enough notice, and no one would really question it. They had told a story about needing to return to England for a family emergency and had given their employees a little time to find new employment. The date of their return home had been set to the last day of March, and Ron tried to hide his disappointment (and fear) about the fact that he would be returning to England alone. Hermione had purchased his airplane ticket for him already after they had very briefly discussed the date on which he would return.

All too soon, that day had actually come. Ron blinked sleepily, still lying on the couch, but having spent the past several nights in and out of confusing nightmares, wondering if Hermione was experiencing something similar in her bed upstairs. But he had not spoken to her about it since the first night and had not awoken to her screams again.

He heard light footsteps on the stairs and sat all the way up, staring intently into the hallway, hoping that Hermione had woken up before her parents... He got his wish as she appeared around the corner, her pajama top wrinkled and hair a bit tousled. Ron grinned at her as she entered the living room. He felt like he had hardly seen her all week. He knew that she had been busy with her parents... they both had. But he missed her terribly. He could not explain this to her. He wasn't sure it would even make sense. But every day, even though he could see her and listen to her voice, he felt a distance between them.

"Hi," he said as she walked around the couch. He swung his legs around, planting his feet on the floor, giving her space to sit down next to him. She sat and sighed simultaneously, and as she looked over at Ron, smiling softly, he noticed how dark the circles under her eyes had become. "Did you sleep at all?" he asked, looking concerned. She shrugged, but before he could say anything more, she spoke.

"Sorry I haven't been here with you much..."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked, adjusting his position on the couch to face her more.

"I've been really busy helping my parents and haven't really..." she shrugged again.

"It's fine, Hermione," Ron said quickly, feeling a bit guilty. He knew there was no way that she could know what he had been thinking, but he wondered if she had picked up on something based on his attitude. He hadn't meant to be so readable...

She smiled at him again, and he felt his pulse quicken, smiling back.

"Don't want you to go today..." she mumbled, turning to stare at the coffee table. Ron paused for a long moment to make sure he had heard her right before scooting very slightly closer to her.

"Yeah..." he said, following her gaze to the table. "Me either."

As they sat in silence, Ron pondered the fact that ever since that first night when he had stormed into Hermione's room and taken care of her after her nightmare, he had not really been very close to her. He wondered what her parents thought of him, if they had any idea that he and Hermione were together now. Even thinking the word 'together' brought a grin to his face, and when Hermione glanced over at him again, she caught it and furrowed her eyebrows.

"What?" she asked, watching him. He faced her, his ears turning a bit red.

"Nothing, just happy," he said honestly, but Hermione still looked puzzled. "About... you know..." he continued, shrugging... "us."

"Oh," Hermione said softly, her cheeks turning pink, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

They fell back into shy silence, their cheeks flushed. Ron continued his previous line of thought, considering Hermione's parents again. He wondered what they would really think of him. He wasn't rich or brilliant. He didn't have much that he could really offer Hermione other than his feelings for her. He wondered if they'd really want someone like him to be with their only daughter. He tried not to be too negative, assuring himself that it didn't really matter because Hermione loved him. But as he continued to think about it, he wished he had done something more, something to prove himself to them. He knew it was silly, a bit ridiculous, but he felt that in the end, they probably didn't really have any idea how serious he was about her, how strongly he actually felt. And really, that was about the only thing he could think of that he had going for him.

He wanted to talk to Hermione about it, to know what she honestly thought, but he knew that she wouldn't tell him if she had any reason to believe that any of his worries could be grounded in reality. And he also had no idea where to start. He wasn't very good with talking to her about things like that yet. He wanted to be, but he wasn't sure how to make it more comfortable, to make it possible without his whole face turning the color of a beet.

Before he could ponder anything any further, he heard two more sets of footsteps descending the stairs and he involuntarily moved slightly away from Hermione, cursing himself silently for doing it in the first place...

"Hermione," Mrs. Granger called as she entered the living room, "we're heading into the office. Can you get Ron to the airport on your own?"

"Sure, Mum," Hermione said pleasantly, having already decided on this plan the previous night, "it'll be fine."

"Okay, then," Mrs. Granger said kindly, her eyes moving to Ron. He smiled at her and stood.

"Thanks a lot for letting me stay here," he said quickly, just as Mr. Granger entered the living room behind his wife.

"Our pleasure," said Mrs. Granger. "It's nice to know that Hermione has such good friends, people who'd sacrifice so much of their time to help her."

Ron nodded, focusing on the word 'friends'.

"Yeah, Ron," piped up Mr. Granger. "Thanks for all _your _help as well, with the packing and all."

"Sure, no problem," Ron said.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger hugged Hermione and left the room one by one, heading for the front door without another word.

"We'd better get ready," Hermione said the moment she heard the front door click shut. Ron couldn't reply... his mouth had gone too dry. He had been dreading this day since Hermione had bought his plane ticket a few days prior.

Hermione left the living room quickly, and Ron busied himself with gathering his things. Forty minutes later, he was packed, showered, and dressed, standing in the front hallway, listening to Hermione's footsteps again as she headed back down the stairs.

Hermione passed him and entered the kitchen, returning a moment later with a few slices of bread and two apples.

"Breakfast," she said as she handed Ron the food.

"Oh," he said, not feeling hungry at all. His stomach was tied in a very tight knot. "Thanks."

They left the house silently and headed for the curb, but as Hermione slowed down, stopping completely by the street, Ron realized she had obviously failed to let him in on a very important part of the plan.

"So how are we getting-" he began, but Hermione interrupted him with the answer he was looking for.

"Taxi," she said. "I called one when I went up to get dressed."

"Oh." Ron looked down at his feet, wondering how dumb he must sound to her, not even able to figure out something like how to get from one place to the other the Muggle way, and even now after a week living with Muggles...

The ride to the airport was silent. Ron was left to his rather depressing thoughts, thinking about the next few days... _weeks_... without Hermione. And when they reached the airport and the taxi stopped at Ron's terminal, he felt his stomach twitch uncomfortably again. He followed Hermione to the gate, doing everything as she instructed him to, but then suddenly, Hermione started to slow down her pace, her expression turning a bit nervous.

"What?" Ron asked, stopping altogether to address her. She stopped in front of him and turned to face him, her eyes down, focused on the carpet.

"I can't go with you much further," she said.

"Why not?" Ron asked quickly.

"Because they don't allow people who aren't riding on the airplane to go past a certain point, past the metal detectors."

Ron glanced over Hermione's shoulder at the line that would lead him to the contraptions Hermione spoke of. He remembered what she had called them from their last flight.

"Do you have everything?" Hermione asked him, looking up finally. "Your passport? All your clothes? If you left something, I can bring it with me when I come back. Do you need any money? Any-"

But Ron cut off her rambling, sensing that she was talking to avoid addressing how she was really feeling...

"Hermione, I'm fine," he said, putting down his bag and stepping closer to her. "We did this before. I've got it." She nodded, but stared into his eyes, looking unconvinced. "I'm fine," he said again with a small chuckle.

"Sorry," Hermione mumbled, looking away from him. He stared at her, his eyebrows furrowed. He was trying so desperately to read her but it was so difficult...

"What are you thinking?" he asked after a long pause. She looked up at him but didn't respond. "Tell me," he tried again after a moment.

"Ron..." she trailed off.

"That was a question. I asked it the right way, didn't I?" Ron teased, giving her a sideways smile. She couldn't help but smile back.

"Yes, you did," she said. After a small sigh, she finally answered him... "I was just... thinking of how much I'm going to miss you."

"Blimey, me too," Ron said, feeling a heavy weight lift from his chest at being able to express his feelings on the subject so indiscreetly. Her admission had opened up the discussion and allowed him to be completely honest with her. "You know, I could just not-"

"No," Hermione cut him off. "I know what you're about to say and you can't do it."

"What was I-" But she cut him off again.

"That you could just skip training and start it the next time they offer it."

Ron looked sheepishly at her, marveling at the fact that she could read him so clearly.

"So what if I was going to say that?" he countered as if the concept was still up for debate.

"You can't, Ron," she replied firmly. "This is what you've wanted for so long. And Harry... you have to be with Harry. He'll start on the 20th regardless. He needs to do this and so do you."

Ron looked into her eyes for as long as he could without blushing. When he looked away, his eyes landed on the growing line of people on the way through the metal detectors. Hermione followed his gaze, turning to look over her own shoulder.

"We should queue up," she said. "I can wait with you until you get to the front. Then I'll just duck out."

Ron nodded and picked up his bag again, following Hermione to the back of the line. They stood in silence, both lost in thought, for the first half of the wait in the queue. Ron sneaked glances Hermione's way every few seconds, focused on her lips as she bit them nervously. It was mesmerizing, and after nearly ten whole minutes of silence, he couldn't take it any longer. He couldn't think of anything to say, couldn't find words that wouldn't be pointless now. So finally, dropping his bag again, he reached out to Hermione, placing his hands on her waist and pulling her towards him gently. She looked up into his eyes, surprised, but she had no time to react. He dipped his head and kissed her. She squealed softly from shock as he pulled her hips closer, his hands shaking very slightly, his palms pressed to her sides. But after a moment, he felt her hands moving up his chest to his shoulders, and he smiled, his lips still pressed to hers.

When they separated, it was only because the person behind them was making frustrated sounds due to the fact that the queue had moved forward, leaving a large gap between Ron and Hermione and the next person in line. Both blushing as they made this realization, Ron picked up his bag and moved forward with Hermione. He caught her trying to hide her grin from him, looking off into the distance, and it made his heart skip a beat. He was so focused on her face that he didn't notice her hand moving closer to him until her fingers brushed his forearm, sliding down to his hand. He took her hand and squeezed, grinning, his head feeling very light and mushy.

But with each step forward they took, the front of the queue loomed more heavily over them like a dark shadow.

"Hermione," Ron said suddenly, looking down at her, "give me your... you know... those numbers you have to push if you want to get in touch with someone with a uh..." He blushed, glancing around to be sure no one was staring. He knew how ridiculous he must sound trying to think of the right words for all of these Muggle things that he still did not fully understand.

"Telephone number," Hermione said quietly, trying not to grin as she dropped Ron's hand, reaching into her pocket for a pen. She had taken to keeping a few Muggle pens around during the packing of her parents' house, making it easier to label what was inside each of the boxes.

"Yeah," Ron said. "I can try to uh... call you... from home. I don't think we have an ow-" but he stopped himself from finishing his thought, nearly on the point of telling Hermione that he didn't think any of the Weasleys' owls could make the trip halfway around the world to deliver a letter. He looked guiltily down at Hermione, but she shook her head very slightly, and he knew she understood what he had been trying to say.

"Do you have a piece of paper?" she asked Ron, and he dropped his bag to dig in his pockets for a scrap. But, not finding anything, he held out his hand.

"Here, just write it on my hand," he said, and for some reason, this seemed to excite Hermione. She suppressed a grin as she took Ron's hand in both of hers, writing her parents' telephone number on the back of his hand.

By the time Hermione had finished and pocketed the pen again, they had reached the front of the line. Hermione met Ron's eyes, looking alarmed.

"That went fast," Ron said, feeling his heart sink.

"Passport and boarding pass," said the attendant next to Ron.

"Right," Ron said, handing them to her. He watched her checking them curiously, but the moment he felt Hermione's hands on the sides of his face, he turned to her, forgetting where he even was. She pulled his face down to hers, kissing him firmly on the lips. He dropped his bag once again, his eyes clamping shut, wrapping his arms around her, lifting her slightly off the ground. When they finally parted, Ron could tell out of the corner of his eye that the attendant was becoming impatient, holding his passport and boarding pass out to him, waiting for him to take it. But he dismissed her, didn't even turn to look at her. His eyes were focused on Hermione's. She leaned up, standing on the tips of her toes, and pulled Ron down again, but this time, her mouth moved to his ear.

"I love you," she whispered, her lips brushing his ear. When she pulled back again, her eyes were wet, but Ron had been rendered completely speechless. He was unaware of anything around him, anything in his life except for her. She took his hand and backed away, their arms stretching out from their bodies to enable their hands to stay clasped until the last possible moment. She dropped his hand completely when she reached the black belt barrier around the queue. She ducked out of the line, standing straight again and turning her back towards him. Sensing that she was going to walk away, to leave him without another word, Ron suddenly came to his senses, realizing immediately what he hadn't said... what he needed to say...

"I love you too!" he shouted at her retreating back. She turned around quickly, a shocked but blissful expression on her face. Ron felt all eyes close by fall instantly on him. Realizing how loud he had been, what he had just done, he felt his cheeks burn, but he didn't look away from Hermione. "I... I'll see you soon," he laughed a bit nervously. Hermione grinned, pressing her lips together to keep from laughing.

"Sir," came the voice of the attendant still holding out Ron's passport and boarding pass, but she sounded much more amused all of a sudden than she had seemed before. He turned to take his things from her, and when he looked back where Hermione had just been, she was heading away from him. He didn't want to watch her leaving. It made their separation more real in some way. So he turned his back again, focusing on all of the things she had told him about how to board an airplane without looking suspicious.

He took a deep breath and sighed, thinking about the moment when he'd see her next, when she'd smile at him again, when he'd hear her voice. His heart beat faster at the thought. And for the rest of the day, all he could hear when he closed his eyes was the sound of her whispering into his ear... _I love you._


	11. Two Instead of Three

**Chapter 11 - Two Instead of Three**

_**May 17, 1998**_

Ron was in a bad mood. Nearly the moment he had appeared at the Burrow's front door at almost midnight, his mother had suffocated him in a hug and ushered him into the kitchen. He was relieved momentarily by the crowd of his siblings at the table, hoping that he would be able to simply blend in and avoid his father's questions. Truthfully, he wasn't in a particular happy mood to be home. He already missed Hermione terribly and really wanted nothing more than to eat and head upstairs to bed. But just as he thought he might have made it through dinner unscathed, his father cornered him excitedly and proceeded to ask him endless questions about the Muggles of Australia, the airplane and airport, and the taxis Ron had taken both in London and in Sydney. By the time his father had finally exhausted all the questions he could think up, Ron was very tired and a bit annoyed.

He heaved his bag and stomped up to his attic bedroom, dropping his bag at the foot of his bed and falling on top of his Chudley Cannons' blanket still fully clothed...

_**May 18, 1998**_

Ron awoke suddenly to a deafening scream, only to realize, shaking furiously, that it had just been a dream. His breathing sharp and ragged, he sat up, trying to calm down. It had been Hermione's voice. He knew that now. It had been so clear, so... _real_. He brushed his hair off his sweaty forehead and swung his legs out of bed, pushing his shoes off his heels with his toes. It was still pitch black outside, and with a glance at his bedside clock, he cringed. Just past four, much too early to get up for the day.

He pulled his shirt off and threw it to the floor before lying down again on his back, staring up at his ceiling. He sighed, his mind on Hermione. He wondered where she was, what she was doing... He quickly did the math in his head to work out the time difference and concluded that it was just past three in the afternoon. An insane thought immediately passed through his mind... He could call her _now_.

He jumped out of bed as if the mattress had been set on fire and grabbed his shirt off the floor, pushing his feet into his shoes while simultaneously pulling his shirt back on. As he looked down to pick up his wand from his bedside table, he caught a glimpse of his shirt's tag just below his neck... on the outside. He grinned, not caring about his appearance at the moment, and with a quick turn, he vanished from the room.

He reappeared just outside the shed. With a glance back towards the house to be sure no lights had come on, he pushed open the shed door and blinked, adjusting to the dark room, his wand held at chest height in his hand.

"Lumos." His wand tip lit and he moved cautiously through the piles of junk that lined the floors of the shed. There was a lot more here than he remembered from before, and he wondered briefly where his father had found the time to add so much to his collection over the past year. "Lumos maxima," he said, realizing how much bigger the job of locating the telephone would be now than it had been the last time he'd used it. He set his wand down on a shelf so the light faced the middle of the room, and then he began to search...

* * *

An hour later, Ron grinned triumphantly, pulling a very dusty red telephone out from the middle of a pile of what he considered to be almost entirely rubbish. He blew fiercely onto the phone's surface, sending dust flying into the air around his head. Coughing and blinking dust out of his eyes, he walked over to a long table set in front of a tall column of shelves, and he placed the phone in the middle, staring at it. Biting his lip, he tried to remember exactly what to do. He had had his father to show him how to use it the last time, but it had been so long...

He glanced at the back of his hand, reading the numbers over a few times, smiling at Hermione's handwriting on his skin. When he glanced back at the telephone, he spotted little buttons with numbers on them under the part of the phone that seemed to be able to be removed from the base. He closed his eyes, concentrating on the time he had watched Hermione dialing a pay phone for a taxi. When he opened his eyes again, he reached for the receiver and lifted it, examining the buttons. His finger hovered over the first number he needed to dial, but at the last second, he remembered something.

"Right," he mumbled, lifting the receiver to his ear to check for a tone. But all was silent. Confused and slightly frustrated, Ron lowered the receiver to the base again and began inspecting the phone, turning it over in his hands. He glanced around the room, hoping some clue would pop out of nowhere. And then he saw it. There was a long gray cord sticking out of the top of the rubbish pile. He had a sudden flash of something his father had said years before...  
_  
"Watch that gray cord. If it comes unplugged, the telephone won't work."_

_"How do you understand how all this works, Dad? It makes no sense..."_

_"To be honest, Ron, and this is just between you and me..." His father took a moment to stare at Ron, making sure he understood. Ron nodded for his father to continue. "I've made a few, uh... adjustments. If I hadn't, this thing wouldn't work at all. See, we have to have a place to plug the other end of this cord into. But only Muggle houses have what you need. So... I'm just sort of improvising."_

_Ron raised his eyebrows._

_"It's nothing... major..." Mr. Weasley continued quickly, "but just remember not to let that cord fall out. All you need to know," and Mr. Weasley nodded to himself, looking a little flustered, and left Ron to make his phone call..._

Ron grinned as he pulled the cord out of the pile of junk in front of him, though no matter how much of the cord he pulled out, it never seemed to end. But he had no idea what the other end was connected to, and he honestly wasn't sure he _wanted _to know. He flipped over the phone base and searched every square inch for a place that looked like a logical spot to plug in the gray cord. Finally, after a few confusing attempts, he got it right and heard a click as the cord connected and locked.

"Brilliant," he said to himself, marveling at the fact that he was even able to figure it all out on his own. When he picked up the receiver again and pressed it to his ear, he heard a fuzzy tone that gradually became sharper. Smiling in a satisfied way, he turned his hand over and dialed the numbers quickly.

A ring sounded twice in his ear...

"Hello?" came a slightly muffled voice. But Ron was sure it was her...

"Hermione?!" Ron shouted excitedly into the receiver.

"Ron!" she nearly screamed back at him. He smiled and closed his eyes, listening happily to her. "I was hoping you'd call me today," she said, and he could almost hear her blushing. He laughed, overwhelmed by how much better he felt at just hearing her voice on the other end of the line. He sighed a shook his head.

"Bloody hell, I'm glad this worked," Ron said loudly, running a hand through his hair, smiling. "You sound like you're standing right next to me!"

"That's how it works, yes," Hermione replied through a chuckle.

"It's pretty brilliant if you think about it," Ron said, slightly awed.

"I guess it is, yeah."

"I really miss you," Ron admitted, feeling warmth spread to his cheeks but not caring at the moment about how relieved he must sound.

"You too," Hermione said back softly.

"You sure you've really thought everything through?" Ron joked. "I mean, it's been two days since I last saw you and already... just think how bad ten months will be." Hermione went silent for a moment, and Ron's smile faded slightly. "Are you still there?"

"Yes," Hermione said. "I'm sorry, Ron."

"What for?" Ron asked, his smile fading completely to be replaced with a confused frown.

"Hogwarts."

Ron lost his ability to speak for a long moment as he took in the sadness in Hermione's voice... and the guilt.

"Hey, don't be sorry," he finally managed to say, his voice a little raspy. "I was only joking."

"But it's true," came Hermione's tiny voice.

Ron brushed away a layer of dust from the low table top in front of him and turned, sitting down on the table, his back to the shelves. He held the phone awkwardly in his lap, the cord twisted around his arm now.

"Look, we shouldn't worry about that right now. We've got months left, Hermione," but as soon as the words were out of his mouth, he realized that he didn't really know how much of that time he'd actually get to spend with her.

"Yeah, you're right," Hermione said, and Ron felt instantly relieved by how sincere she sounded. He smiled, content to just know that she was there, even if they said nothing else... listening to each other breathing. "We're about to go to the bank," Hermione continued.

"Oh," Ron said dumbly, grinning to himself at his cluelessness. Hermione laughed.

"We have to move my parents' accounts back to their London bank," Hermione explained.

"I guess that makes sense," Ron said.

"What are you doing today?" Hermione asked, but before Ron could answer, she gasped. "Ron! What time is it there?! It must be the middle of the night!"

Ron looked at his watch, his eyes widening slightly, but he smiled, not feeling tired at all.

"It's nearly 5:30," Ron said, trying to sound casual.

"Why are you up?!" Hermione asked, shocked.

"Couldn't sleep," Ron admitted, scooting around on the table to get more comfortable. After a short hesitation, Hermione spoke again...

"Bad dreams?"

"Yeah, but I'm fine," Ron said quickly, not wanting to worry Hermione or to talk about his dreams at the moment. She seemed to understand this and moved off the topic immediately.

"Have you been studying?"

Ron grinned and closed his eyes, resting his head against the shelf behind him. He loved it when she checked up on him, though he had only recently become comfortable with admitting it to himself.

"Hermione, you know I've only been home one night."

"Ron, you've got to use every second you have. You didn't get a lot done while you were here," Hermione said sternly.

"I know," Ron said gently, his grin widening. "As soon as Harry wakes up and we've had breakfast, we'll study all day. Promise."

There was a strange sort of muffled clicking in Ron's ear and he moved the phone away, staring into it with furrowed eyebrows, but he heard Hermione's voice and quickly pressed the ear piece back to his ear.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"Did you hear that noise?" Hermione repeated.

"Yeah, what was it?"

"I don't know..."

The clicking began again, louder this time. Ron could hear Hermione saying something but her voice broke up with each word and he couldn't make out any of it.

"What?" he said loudly. "I can't hear you!"

She continued speaking, but with each word, she sounded farther away and he could make out even less of what she was saying.

"Hermione?"

With a bit of soft static, Hermione's voice faded completely and was almost instantly replaced with dead silence.

"Hermione?" Ron tried again, shaking the phone furiously before pressing it back to his ear tightly, only to discover that nothing had changed. It was still very silent. "Damn it..."

He hung up the phone again and spent the next thirty minutes trying to fix it, but to no avail. Feeling defeated, he opened the shed door and squinted. The sun was already moving quickly into the sky, the Burrow's garden bathed in orange and pink light. Ron glanced at his watch again. 6:15. In an hour or so he could make his way to the kitchen for breakfast. He turned on the spot and Disapparated, reappearing in his bedroom a moment later. He figured he might as well get some studying done, so he sat down at his desk and opened the first book he came across...

* * *

Hermione tried to stall her parents from leaving for the bank, hoping that Ron would try to call her back. She had no idea what had happened and feared that he may not know how to fix what had gone wrong. If the phone he was using was broken, he'd probably need his father's help to repair it. Finally, when Hermione could think of no more logical reasons to keep holding up her parents, she begrudgingly left the house with them, knowing that if they didn't go soon, the bank would be closed...

* * *

Ron was the first person down the stairs for breakfast. His mother seemed mildly surprised to see him up so early, but she said nothing. After breakfast, Ron's father left in a rush for work and Ron headed back upstairs with Harry to study. The day passed slowly in a haze of complicated spells and theories. By dinner time, Ron's head was spinning. Harry was in no mood to resume studying after dinner and instead, he disappeared somewhere with Ginny. Ron tried not to think about what they were doing and headed back out to the shed, hopeful that he could work on the phone and figure it out on his own. But after nearly another half hour of fruitless effort, his father entered the shed behind him, looking for something.

"Oh, hi, Ron," he said after a moment, suddenly realizing that Ron was in the shed already.

"Dad," Ron began, looking very annoyed. "Can you help me with something?"

Mr. Weasley's eyes moved to the red telephone that Ron was holding in both of his hands.

"Ah," Mr. Weasley said with a note of glee. "Were you going to use it?"

"Actually, I already did," Ron said as his father crossed the shed and reached for the telephone. "But it stopped working."

"You made a call?" Mr. Weasley asked, looking impressed.

"This morning," Ron said, nodding.

"Well..." and Mr. Weasley began to inspect the phone from all angles. After a few minutes, he followed the gray cord into the pile of junk, pulling on it until it stopped moving easily. He set down the phone and moved the junk aside, stacking it with care in small piles as he uncovered more of the cord. Finally, he reached a little gray box at the other end of the cord.

"What's that?" Ron asked curiously as he watched his father looking it over.

"This is what makes it work," Mr. Weasley said. "But I don't have any idea why it would stop..."

Ron watched his father work for a few more minutes before his eyes began to droop.

"This'll take some time, Ron," Mr. Weasley informed him. "But I'll do what I can."

"Thanks, Dad," Ron said, yawning.

"Oh, your mum wanted help cleaning the kitchen."

"Right," Ron said dully.

"I'll work on this. You should go and help her and get some rest. She said you and Harry have been studying all day."

"Yeah," Ron said, nodding as he headed for the shed door. "Thanks again," he added as he opened the door.

"Not at all," Mr. Weasley said, his eyes and hands focused intently on his work. Ron smiled at his father and turned to head back inside.

* * *

_**May 19, 1998**_

Hermione's eyes popped open and she bolted straight up in bed, clutching her covers. She let out a shaky sob, trying to control herself. She had been dreaming again. She felt so foolish having nightmares every single night. It was ridiculous to her that she couldn't get through a night alone without them.

She sighed and climbed out of bed, heading to the kitchen for tea, her mind on Ron. She knew he was having the same problem, and somehow that comforted her, though she did not wish him any pain. She wanted him to be alright, not to experience what she was going through, but... still, they shared something, and it was not something that could be rationally explained. It thrilled her in a way to know that his presence was all she needed... and that really, she was what he needed too.

* * *

Ron wasn't even surprised this time when he awoke suddenly, beads of cold sweat on his forehead. He shook his head as he completely woke up. He didn't even bother to check the clock, knowing that it would be an ugly time to be awake. The sun was not yet even beginning to rise. So he went to his desk to study, knowing that he wouldn't be good for much else at the moment with no one else in the house awake yet. His father had not come up to tell him the phone had been fixed, so Ron had to assume that he had not yet been successful in fixing it...

The rest of the morning went as the previous day had gone. Harry woke up a bit late, and after breakfast, the two retired to Ron's room to study until lunch. They ate, then continued studying. It was a dull routine full of frustratingly complex spellwork that neither of them had yet mastered flawlessly. But they knew they weren't expected to be perfect yet. The truth was that they felt quite confident by dinner. They were sure that they were well ahead of what was expected, considering that they actually knew quite a few of the jinxes and charms that they were supposed to be learning for the first time due to their past year studying and applying what they had read in a practical setting... It wasn't a pleasant way to get ahead, but it had left them with a few advantages.

Dinner was relatively quiet that night, and the moment Ron noticed that Harry had finished, he stood from the table.

"Mum, me and Harry are going for a walk."

Harry looked over at Ron, confused. Harry had obviously not been consulted about this yet, but he didn't say anything, just followed Ron outside after Mrs. Weasley nodded and told them to be careful.

It was already very dark out, the sky quickly turning to a deep navy blue. Ron led Harry purposefully down the front steps, and he sensed that Harry knew he had not told his mother the whole truth about where he was going or why...

"So where are we going?" Harry asked suspiciously after a moment.

"Town," Ron admitted with a guilty grimace.

"What for?" Harry asked, looking sideways at Ron as they continued through the yard. Ron remained silent until they had turned towards the trees to the left and were no longer in sight of the Burrow.

"I need to get in touch with Hermione," Ron said, stopping and turning to face Harry.

"How?" Harry asked, confused.

"With the... uh... oh, you know..." Ron searched desperately for the word again. Harry raised his eyebrows. "The Muggle thing... the tele thing."

"Telephone?" Harry asked, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Yeah," Ron said, nodding, his ears slightly pink. "That."

"Doesn't your dad have one of those?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, but it broke yesterday and he hasn't been able to fix it yet." Ron glanced at his watch. It was nearly 8. "I reckon it's close to 7 in the morning in Sydney," he said. "If we walk it, we'll reach the center of town, where the Muggle post is, in maybe thirty minutes. Then I just have to find a... telephone..."

"Do you have Muggle money?" Harry asked. Ron stared blankly at him and Harry chuckled. "You know you'll have to have Muggle coins to make a call."

"Really?" Ron asked, looking defeated. Harry nodded. "Well that's great..."

"Don't worry about it," Harry said, resuming their walk. "I've got some Muggle money you can borrow."

"You do?" Ron asked as he fell into step with Harry.

"Yeah," said Harry. "Left over change from over the years."

"Thanks, Harry," Ron said softly. Harry shook his head and smiled. Ron led them to town, and just as he had predicted, they reached the Muggle area at about 8:30.

"There!" Harry said, pointing forward at a telephone booth. Ron recognized it from when Hermione had used one in Glenoak.

"Great!" Ron said, heading quickly over to it. When they reached it, Ron stared blankly at it as Harry dug in his pockets for Muggle change, discreetly separating the wizard money from the Muggle money and handing the coins to Ron. "So what?" Ron began, "I just drop them in this slot and pick up the..." He gestured to the ear piece.

"I think you need to dial first and it'll tell you how much money you have to put in," Harry said. Ron stared at Harry, confused. Harry lowered his voice, glancing around to be sure they were not being noticed by passing Muggles. "It'll charge a different amount depending on how far away the person you're trying to call is located." Ron raised his eyebrows, but shook his head, dismissing it.

"Okay," he said as he picked up the phone and pressed it to his ear. He turned his hand over and dialed the numbers as Harry watched, taking amused note of Hermione's handwriting on Ron's skin. After a short pause, Ron's eyes widened. "There's a woman talking on here!" he whispered. Harry grinned and stepped closer to Ron.

"Listen and she'll tell you how much money to put in..."

"Harry, should I say something to her?" Ron whispered frantically. Harry rolled his eyes and took the phone from Ron's hand, pressing it to his own ear. After a short moment, Harry nodded and took the coins back from Ron, dropping them one after the other into the slot. Finally, after almost all of his money had been deposited, he handed the phone back to Ron.

"It's ringing," Harry said. "You have two minutes before it'll ask for more money."

"But we haven't got any more-" Ron began.

"Hello?" came a voice Ron didn't really recognize.

"Uh, hello?" Ron said.

"Who's calling?" the voice asked.

"Uh, Ron," Ron said hesitantly. "This is Ron..."

"Oh, hello, Ron. You must be looking for Hermione," said the voice, and Ron suddenly recognized her as Hermione's mother.

"Oh, yeah, thanks," Ron said, adjusting his tone to a more polite one, feeling a little embarrassed for his confusion.

"I'll just get her if you'll hold on a moment," Mrs. Granger said. Ron waited, hearing Mrs. Granger call out to Hermione in the distance. And then he heard what sounded like the pounding of someone running...

"Ron?" came Hermione's slightly breathless voice.

"Hermione! Hey!" Ron grinned happily, and Harry looked away, trying to hide his amusement.

"I thought I might not hear from you again after the day before yesterday," Hermione said.

"The day _before _yesterday?" Ron asked, furrowing his eyebrows. "Oh, blimey, that's odd! It's tomorrow where you are, isn't it."

Hermione laughed.

"Or you could say it's yesterday where _you _are," she said.

Ron shook his head.

"You're messing with my mind," he said. Hermione laughed lightly and they fell into a temporary silence before Hermione spoke again in a more serious tone...

"Are you-"

"Yeah, me and Harry have been studying non-stop," Ron said before she could finish her thought. Next to Ron, Harry rolled his eyes playfully.

"How did you-"

"I read your mind," Ron joked, interrupting her again.

"Are you ever going to actually let me get through a thought?" Hermione asked.

"Maybe..." Ron said, smirking. "I let you get through that one, didn't I?"

"I guess so," Hermione admitted, and Ron could hear the smile in her voice.

"So what have you been doing?" Ron asked.

"Lots," Hermione said, sounding a bit overwhelmed now. "We've been packing, making arrangements... Mum and Dad are really eager to come home now they... well, now they're aware of who they really are..."

"What's going to happen when you get back?" Ron asked, hoping he didn't sound as nervous as he felt.

"It's going to take a lot of work to get everything back to normal. My parents will be opening their practice in London again, and then we've got all the unpacking to do. And the house will need a lot of work to fix it up again..."

"I can help you with whatever you need," Ron offered.

"You'll be busy with training, Ron," Hermione said. "But that's really nice of you to offer."

"Hermione, any time I'm not at training I'll want to be with you," Ron said, watching as Harry looked up at him with raised eyebrows. Ron rolled his eyes at Harry and turned his back to him, leaning against the phone booth. There was a long pause on Hermione's end followed by a muffled sniff...

"I love you, Ron," she said in a near whisper. Ron felt his heart leap and his pulse quicken, startled in a wonderful way by Hermione's words. He smiled and closed his eyes.

"Harry's listening to everything I say, so I hope you know what I'm going to have to endure after this..." He paused, hearing Harry chuckle lightly behind him. "I love you too, Hermione."

Harry slapped Ron on the back. Hard. Ron turned to glare over his shoulder at Harry, his cheeks flushed. But Harry just smirked back, his arms crossed over his chest. On the other end of the line, Hermione laughed happily.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted the line, asking for more money.

"Hello?" Ron said, turning around to face Harry completely again.

"Ron?" came Hermione's voice when the message was finished.

"I think I have to put more money in this thing," Ron said.

"Are you at a payphone?" Hermione asked, surprised.

"Yeah, couldn't fix the one at the Burrow," Ron said.

"Where are you?"

"Town," Ron replied, but he was interrupted by the insistent voice again. "You still there?" Ron asked when the message was over.

"Yes," Hermione said. "Are you getting a message to put in more money?"

"Yeah, but we haven't got any more."

"Oh," Hermione said, sounding disappointed.

"I'll get more and come back here tomorrow to call you again."

"You don't have to walk to town just to call me, Ron," Hermione said, and Ron could almost hear her blushing.

"Want to," Ron said, but then Hermione's voice faded and he couldn't hear what she was trying to say back. The line went dead. "Hermione?"

The phone began to beep incessantly, and Ron hung up it up sadly.

"I'm sure I have more Muggle money back at the Burrow," Harry said optimistically.

"Thanks, Harry," Ron said as he led the way towards a clump of thick trees at the edge of town where they could Apparate back to the Burrow.

"Ron," Harry began, and Ron instantly knew by Harry's tone that he was about to be teased... "You never told _me _that you loved me."

"Shut the hell up, Harry," Ron said, shoving Harry in the arm, but Harry only laughed, clearly pleased with himself.  
_**  
May 20, 1998**_

_Come back!_

Ron gasped for breath, his hands shaking, eyes wide open now. He had been dreaming again. Each time he awoke from a nightmare it took a little bit longer for him to be convinced that it hadn't been real. As he slowly sat up, panting lightly, his alarm began to sound on his bedside table. He jumped, his eyes shooting over to the clock. It was a strange coincidence, waking up from a nightmare just moments before his alarm was set to go off. He closed his eyes and swore under his breath, his heart racing.

He was getting sick of waking up like this. But what could be done? He considered trying dreamless sleep the following night and, making up his mind that it was probably for the best, he began to dress, feeling nervousness replace the terror he had initially felt upon waking from his nightmare. It was the first day, the day he had been planning for, studying for... He and Harry would be going to the Ministry today to begin their training... Ron's stomach tied itself into a very tight knot...

Ron and Harry were greeted in the kitchen by Mrs. Weasley who had obviously planned to wake up early just to make them breakfast on their first day, though she refused to admit to it, saying that she had just coincidentally woken up several hours earlier than normal. But Ron and Harry glanced knowingly at each other when she wasn't looking. And finally, it was time to go. They headed upstairs to get their books and neatly pressed robes, meeting again on the second landing, ready to head down to the fireplace to floo to the Ministry. Ron knew his mother would be waiting for them by the fireplace when they returned, so he paused on the landing, facing Harry.

"It's odd, isn't it," Harry said, "going without her."

Ron nodded, knowing exactly what Harry meant.

"It's always been the three of us, hasn't it..." Ron added, trailing off. He felt a hole in his life now, a different one from the one he had been feeling ever since he had parted with Hermione at the airport. This was something he couldn't explain, unlike the absence of someone you love deeply... this was a different kind of space, a missing piece of a puzzle that now had to be forced to fit together without it.

With nothing left to say, Harry and Ron nodded at each other, silently agreeing that it was time to leave. After being smothered in teary hugs by Mrs. Weasley, they flooed one after the other to the Ministry, their hearts a bit heavy, knowing that this was different, that they were on their own this time...

* * *

Hermione had never known that it was possible to miss someone as much as she missed Ron now. And for the first time, she was beginning to doubt her decision to return to Hogwarts, feeling the weight of the ten months she was planning to put between herself and Ron... It was hard to imagine, let alone accept as something she'd have to get through. She sighed, looking at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, telling herself to be strong. She'd be fine...

Things were about to change. No, they already had changed. So much had changed, really... she was now with Ron. She could actually call him her boyfriend if she wanted, though she grimaced at the word. She had never much cared for the term. What she felt was something so much greater than what that word implied... But now she knew. Now he was really with her the way she wanted. And he loved her! It was enough to make her lose her train of thought, to completely forget what she had just been so upset over...

And she used this knowledge to get through each day apart from him, feeling strengthened by it... more than she ever could have imagined.


	12. Home Sweet Home

_**A/N:** Wow. I didn't intend for this chapter to be so long... it just sort of happened. I hope you all enjoy it :)_

* * *

**Chapter 12 - Home Sweet Home**

_**May 20, 1998**_

By the time Ron and Harry had returned from training, they were both too exhausted to do anything but eat and collapse into arm chairs. Ron leaned his head back and allowed his eyes to lazily drift shut. Harry let out a strangled sigh somewhere to Ron's right.

"Could've been worse," Ron joked, his eyes still shut, a grin quickly forming as he listening to Harry breathing raggedly next to him.

A pillow suddenly slammed into Ron's face, clearly thrown roughly in his direction by Harry. Ron jumped slightly and let out a surprised shout, tossing the pillow back to Harry, still grinning. But Harry ducked and the pillow sailed over the back of his chair, landing with a soft thud on the floor behind him.

Ron glanced at his watch, something he had been doing every few minutes since arriving at the Burrow.

"I know what you're thinking," Harry said, narrowing his eyes wearily in Ron's direction.

"What?" Ron asked, trying to sound clueless. Harry stared pointedly at him and lowered his voice before he spoke next...

"You want to go into town to call Hermione again."

Ron's ears and neck turned a bit pink, but he shrugged.

"So?"

Harry chuckled.

"No way I'm fit to Apparate in this condition."

"I can take y-" but Harry shook his head, silencing Ron.

"You don't even technically have your license," Harry pointed out in a sharp whisper. "I'm not in the mood to risk my limbs at the moment."

"You don't have your license either, Harry," Ron said.

"But it's different going side-along, isn't it," Harry countered.

"We're really going to need to take our exams soon," Ron sighed, looking put out. Harry nodded. "Fine, we can walk," Ron added.

Harry glared at Ron.

"Fine," Ron said again, glancing towards the kitchen where his mother was still putting away dishes. Ron lowered his voice and leaned slightly towards Harry. "But you've got to make sure _she _doesn't find out where I've gone." Harry's eyes widened slightly.

"You're still going to go?"

"It's not that far," Ron shrugged, his face and ears flushing again as he looked away from Harry. After a long moment, Harry nodded.

"Okay," he said. "But you'd better be quick."

"Can I borrow a bit more-"

"Come on," Harry interrupted, knowing immediately that Ron was asking about Muggle money. "I'm sure I have enough in my trunk."

"Thanks, Harry," Ron said as he followed Harry up the stairs.

"Sure, mate."

* * *

Ron walked quickly, eager to get to the payphone. His legs were tired and a bit sore and he was pretty sure he had pulled something in his shoulder blade at training earlier, but he couldn't really find it in himself to care about any of those things at the moment. He smiled happily as he spotted the payphone up ahead. It had only taken him twenty minutes to reach town. It usually took closer to half an hour by foot, but he had a purpose tonight.

The streetlights were already on and the sun had almost completely set on the horizon ahead. Stars were beginning to peak out, and the sky behind Ron was already deep blue.

Ron hesitated only for a moment to be sure he remembered what to do before lifting the payphone from the hook and dialing the numbers on the back of his hand. Harry had already given him the exact amount of money that he needed to put in to make the call. Harry had remembered the amount from the night before. But Harry had also given Ron a bit of extra change just in case he wanted to try to continue the call, and Ron had put the extra money in a different pocket so he wouldn't confuse it. But the money Ron had now was all Harry had had left. Ron knew that after tonight, he'd have to change some money for himself at Gringotts in order to continue contacting Hermione until she returned at the end of the month.

He listened to the woman on the line telling him how much to put in, but he didn't really comprehend it. He dropped the coins Harry had given him into the slot one by one, then waited as the line went silent briefly...

The first ring sounded suddenly and Ron felt his heart beat faster and his stomach begin to churn excitedly. The mere thought of hearing her voice in a moment made him feel so blissfully nervous. It was a strange thing to explain, the way she could make him feel... the way his blood seemed to move too fast through his veins... the way his breathing quickened with anticipation.

He smiled and held his breath as the third ring sounded, then the fourth.

"You've reached Wendell and Monica Wilkins," came Mrs. Granger's voice. Ron opened his mouth, ready to ask for Hermione... "We're not in at the moment. Please leave us a message and we'll get back to you. If you have a dental emergency-"

Ron furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"Hello?" he said tentatively.

"-please contact our office at-"

"Mrs. Granger?" Ron tried again.

Ron had never heard anything like this before. But it was starting to become clear to him that the voice on the other end of the line was a message of some sort. He wondered if it was similar to the way the Wireless worked, how people could announce songs but not really be there for you to say anything back to. The one thing that was very obvious was the fact that no one appeared to actually be picking up the phone on the other end. As the message finished, Ron hung up the phone, feeling frustrated. He heard a rattling, followed by the clink of his Muggle coins being released back to him. For a moment, he simply stared, confused, at the payphone. But as he scanned the printed text on the payphone, his eyes landed on a little metal slot at the bottom of the phone base where, according to the sticker on the phone itself, your money would be returned to you if your call did not go through. Feeling a small amount of relief to have the money back, Ron reached his finger into the slot and slid the coins back out into his hand.

He wasn't sure what to do now. He could wait and try again later, but it was getting late and Harry would only be able to hold his mother off for so long before she'd become suspicious. He knew she wouldn't be happy about his decision to walk to town by himself at night, even though he was an adult now and an Auror in training. She would want him to get his rest, and he didn't think she'd completely understand his desire - no, his _need _- to hear Hermione's voice every single day... He hadn't even told anyone in his family that he and Hermione were together. It was sort of strange, thinking about what he'd say to his parents. He hadn't really given it much thought, and honestly, it made him feel a bit awkward to imagine it. He hoped they'd simply catch on eventually... He wasn't even entirely sure that they didn't already know something was going on. It wasn't like he'd tried to hide it, and over the years, he was sure he had been more see through about his feelings for her than he'd like to admit...

But now he just needed to hear her, to talk to her. And it was looking unlikely... He sighed and picked up the phone again, dialing her number and dropping in the coins. He was shocked briefly as he realized he hadn't even had to look at the numbers on his hand this time. He had read and reread her phone number so many times since she had written it there. He felt some sort of link to the numbers, like he could still feel her fingers against his skin where she had touched him while writing it, like looking at her handwriting could bring her closer to him...

After four solid rings, the message began again and he hung up the phone, waiting for his coins to be dropped back down into the lower slot. He pulled them out in a annoyed way, running a hand through his hair as he considered his options again.

He spent the next ten minutes alternatively pacing in front of the payphone and leaning against it before trying Hermione's number again... but once more, there was no answer. The sky was now a solid navy, stars beginning to shine brightly above him, the moon light glowing against the gravel of the small road that ran through town.

"One more time," Ron muttered, and he resumed his pacing... But after fifteen minutes and another attempt, Ron was tired, frustrated, and let down. Pocketing Harry's money, Ron hesitated only for a moment before turning his back on the phone and beginning the journey home.

* * *

Hermione's mother steered her gently through rows and rows of medicines and vitamins, searching for something...

"Mum," Hermione began, "I told you already. I'm fine..."

"Hermione, you've woken your father twice now in the middle of the night," Mrs. Granger said in a concerned tone, "and you know he's not a light sleeper."

"But Mum, this isn't going to-"

"You don't know what's going to work or what's not going to until you give it a try," Mrs. Granger interrupted. "I just don't like to see you in so much pain..."

"Mum..." Hermione felt terrible for waking her parents. She hated her dreams, that was true, and it scared her that they seemed to be getting worse now that Ron was back in England, but she didn't want her parents to worry.

"Just try a mild sleeping pill, maybe some vitamins. Your great aunt Mary used to swear that certain supplements really could have an affect..." Mrs. Granger continued as she stopped to examine a bottle.

"Okay, I'll give it a shot," Hermione said, trying to feel optimistic...

* * *

Ron crept quietly through the back door and spotted Ginny and Harry chatting softly in the living room. He passed by them without a word and headed straight into the kitchen for some tea. He had decided to try the dreamless sleep tonight. He knew his mother kept a bit in the back of a cupboard. He slowly made himself a cup of tea, pouring a generous amount of the potion into the tea and sipping. He leaned against the wall, feeling very disappointed by his inability to reach Hermione.

After a moment, his eyes moved to the doorway into the living room where he could see Harry and Ginny. They sat close to each other on the couch, smiling and laughing softly as they continued their quiet conversation. Ron felt a twinge of jealousy for their happiness, wishing more than anything that he could be with Hermione...

As Harry leaned closer to Ginny, Ron looked away, realizing thoughtfully that he was not nearly as upset by their relationship as he had once felt. He was glad Harry had decided to talk to Ginny when they'd returned from the war. And he knew how happy Ginny was to have Harry back safe and in her life again. It wasn't difficult for Ron to imagine them together for a very long time. They seemed to fit, and they made sense in a lot of ways. Ron wondered if he had simply grown up because of what they had all been through this past year, or if the fact that he now had what he saw between Ginny and Harry, that he was now with the person he loved, made the biggest difference...

* * *

_  
RON!_

His eyes shot open at almost midnight, and he gasped to catch his breath. Swearing lightly under his breath, he covered his face miserably with his pillow, squeezing his eyes shut. He had barely slept, and the dreamless sleep seemed to have been completely worthless. He was in for another long night...

_**May 21, 1998**_

The second day of training went almost exactly as the first day had. Harry and Ron were well ahead of many of the others, but they still found the long hours and rigorous demands of their days to be exhausting. As he had done the night before, Ron slipped out just after dinner to call Hermione. He walked, if possible, even faster into town. But as it had happened the day before, he was unable to reach her. He tried five times, pacing and swearing lightly between each attempt. And, feeling tired and bad tempered, he returned home again, taking a cup of tea and the full bottle of dreamless sleep up to his bedroom with him...

* * *

Hermione walked up the front steps of her parents' practice. She was so tired that she could hardly keep her eyes open. She had been at the practice with her parents for over two hours already moving things and it was only a little past eight.

She had tried the sleeping pills the night before, but she had remembered to put up a silencing charm around her room before getting in bed. And it was a good thing too because the pills had done absolutely nothing. Hermione had tried to avoid her mother's inquiries about the pills all morning, determined to try the vitamins tonight. Though in her heart, she knew what she needed, the only thing that would make her nightmares go away... and he was all the way around the world. She hadn't received a call from him the day before as he had said she would, and she was mildly worried, though she tried not to think about it.

It was easy to get carried away in the hectic chaos that was her life at the moment, helping her parents to completely uproot their life and return home again. But she just couldn't stop thinking of him, longing to be with him again... and she hoped more than anything that she might hear his voice today, something to get her through another day without him by her side.

* * *

_**  
May 22, 1998  
**_  
_STOP! PLEASE!!_

Ron bolted awake, sitting halfway up in bed, blinking furiously.

"Shit!" he muttered harshly, reaching blindly for the dreamless sleep potion on his bedside table. The remains of his tea from several hours prior sat cold and uninviting on the table next to his alarm clock, so he uncorked the dreamless sleep and tipped the contents straight into his mouth, finishing it off in one. Almost immediately, he felt a wave of nausea. He knew he wasn't supposed to take as much as he had, but he didn't know how much longer he could continue to function properly without more than a few broken hours of sleep a night.

He dropped his head heavily back onto his pillow and squeezed his eyes shut, letting out a shaky breath.

* * *

When Ron's alarm blared a few hours later, he was already half awake. He blinked and tried to slowly sit up. He felt horrible, like he had been hit over the head with a bat. In a daze, he slid out of bed and reached for his robes, bracing himself on his bedside table as he stared down at his clock, his vision blurring for a moment as his eyes went out of focus.

"Not good," he muttered, glancing at the empty dreamless sleep bottle that lay on its side next to his alarm.

Somehow he managed to shower and dress, feeling extremely lightheaded, cringing at the mere thought of eating breakfast. When he reached the table, Harry was already tucking into some toast. The house was deathly quiet. Apparently Ron's mother had not woken up in time to make them breakfast this morning. Ron was extremely grateful. He wasn't sure he could take the smell of bacon and eggs at the moment.

"Woah," Harry said as Ron practically fell into the chair across from Harry. Harry's eyes widened and he paused mid-bite of his toast to stare at Ron. "You look like shit."

"Cheers," Ron said sarcastically as he rubbed his temples gingerly with his fingers.

"Seriously, you should eat something, mate," Harry continued. "You look really pale."

"And how is that different from normal?" Ron asked. Harry couldn't help but grin at Ron's ability to crack a joke even when he was sick.

"Here, have some toast," Harry suggested, pushing a plate towards Ron. But Ron grimaced, looking completely repulsed and on the verge of gagging.

"Harry," Ron warned, "get that away from me."

"Maybe you should stay home," Harry said, looking concerned.

"Can't, can I," Ron half grumbled as he pushed up from the table. "We'd better go."

"Ron," Harry tried again as he stood as well, "I don't see how you're going to get through the day like that."

Ron shrugged.

"Let's just get it over with. I'll be fine..." Ron said unconvincingly as they headed for the fireplace. Harry remained quiet as Ron shoved his hand into the floo powder and stepped into the fire...

* * *

Ron half toppled out of the fireplace, falling to his knees and swearing under his breath, closing his eyes against a wave of nausea. He had no idea how he had gotten through the day alive...

He crawled away from the fireplace just in time. Harry landed behind him and stumbled out onto the rug, but remained standing, looking drained and tired but no where near as battered as Ron.

"Bloody... hell..." Ron slurred as he pulled himself up onto the couch. "Not gonna move for a week..."

"Ron?" Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen, sounding a bit annoyed. She stepped into the doorway from the kitchen to the living room and stared down at Ron with her hands on her hips. "I knew that was you swearing," she said, sighing exasperatedly.

Ron groaned, covering his face with his arm. Mrs. Weasley seemed to just notice how dreadful Ron looked...

"What happened?" she asked quickly, crossing the rug in a flash. "Are you hurt?"

When Ron did not answer instantly, she turned to Harry.

"What happened?" she demanded.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Harry said. "It was a rough day, but Ron..." Harry stopped short, looking over at Ron, not sure what to really say about Ron's condition.

"Kind of feel like sleeping until next year," Ron said from behind his arm.

"Are you sick?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she sat on the couch next to Ron.

"'M okay," Ron mumbled.

"You look terrible," Mrs. Weasley commented.

"Thanks," Ron said sarcastically into his elbow.

"I'll make you both some tea," Mrs. Weasley said as she bustled quickly back into the kitchen.

Harry and Ron sat in silence, eyes closed, for a bit, listening to the sounds of Mrs. Weasley removing mugs from a cabinet, boiling water in a kettle, and clanking a spoon against a jar of tea leaves. After a while, Ron turned his head on the back of the couch towards Harry.

"Harry," he whispered. Harry's left eye opened to look at Ron. "You're gonna have to keep her occupied-"

But Harry opened his other eye and sat up, staring at Ron incredulously and interrupting him...

"Are you joking?!"

Ron blinked back at Harry.

"You can't possibly be thinking of going into town tonight," Harry whispered thickly, looking appalled.

"I have to..."

"Ron, you could barely walk to the fireplaces to floo home..."

But Mrs. Weasley re-entered the living room with two steaming mugs of tea and Harry and Ron abruptly ended their conversation.

"Drink," she instructed, handing each of them a mug and sitting on the edge of an arm chair, watching as they both sipped slowly. "You need supper and bed," she added. "Do you have a fever, Ron?"

"Don't think so," Ron said as he took another sip of the tea. It seemed to help his headache a bit, but he still felt woozy, like he could throw up at any moment.

"I think it might be best to take a sleeping potion, maybe some dream-"

"No!" Ron shouted, feeling his stomach churn uncomfortably at the mention of the dreamless sleep that he was sure had been mostly responsible for putting him in this state to begin with. "I think I'll just head up to bed..." But as he stood, he felt his head spin again and, leaning over slightly, he bolted for the loo.

Harry watched him go, still sipping his tea. Mrs. Weasley looked concerned and slightly confused by Ron's reaction to the dreamless sleep. She twisted a napkin in her lap as she waited for Ron to return from the loo. When he finally came back into the living room, a small amount of color had returned to his face. He made a disgusted sound and slumped back onto the sofa, staring into his tea mug, slightly sickened. But he felt much better. He knew he had probably just thrown up most of the dreamless sleep and he even felt a bit hungry now.

"Much better," Ron said.

"Ron, dinner's almost ready," said Mrs. Weasley. "Harry, help him upstairs and I'll bring up a tray for you both."

"I'm okay now," Ron said as he stood with his tea. Harry stood behind him and together they made their way up the stairs slowly.

"So what happened?" Harry asked in a hushed tone as they approached the closed door to Ginny's room. "Did you take a bad sleeping potion or something?"

Ron cast a dark look in Harry's direction.

"Something like that..."

Just then, Ginny's door opened with a slight bang and she looked out onto the landing excitedly.

"Harry!" she shouted, greeting him with a tight hug. "You're back early tonight."

"A bit, yeah," Harry said, smiling as he hugged her back.

"Just when I thought I was feeling better," Ron said as he rolled his eyes and continued up the stairs. "Oh, and hello to you too, Gin," he added over his shoulder as he approached the next landing.

* * *

Hermione walked down the steps at her parents' practice for what had to be the thousandth time. They had been relentlessly packing and moving for days and it was beginning to get awfully tiresome. Hermione was ready to be back home in England, and she knew that if she was homesick now, it must be nothing compared to how her parents were feeling. This saddened her greatly, thinking about all she had put them through, but it also gave her the strength to keep helping them get home as soon as possible... besides the fact that the faster they worked, the sooner she'd get to see Ron again.

When she reached the car, she slumped into the back seat behind her mother who was waiting in the passenger's seat for her father to return to the packed car and make the drive back to the house. Hermione bit her lip, thinking of Ron, wondering what he was doing at that exact moment... And suddenly, something occurred to her, something that made her literally jump in her seat. She closed her eyes and shook her head. It was evening in England. Ron was surely out of training for the day by now. And as Hermione continued to think about it, she realized with horror that she had been gone every morning with her parents, gone at the exact time that Ron had called her the first day. No wonder she hadn't heard from him...

"Mum," Hermione said quickly, "what's taking Dad so long?" She needed to get back home. Immediately.

"He's coming, dear," Mrs. Granger said, turning in her seat to look back at Hermione. "Why, what's the matter?"

"Nothing," Hermione said, looking out the window impatiently. "Just thinking about how much more work we have to do..." she added, feeling guilty for lying but not really wanting explain her feelings for Ron to her mother at the moment...

Her father finally exited the practice and headed down the sidewalk to the car carrying a large box. Hermione's legs bounced anxiously all the way home...

* * *

After diner, Ron was felling much better, but still totally exhausted. His eyes burned with lack of sleep and his legs didn't seem to want to support his weight as he tried to walk to his door. Harry had made him swear not to go into town alone after Ron had refused to back down from the idea of going that night. So Ron had agreed to wait for Harry to go with him, but he was getting rather impatient.

He wrenched open his bedroom door to find Harry stepping up onto the landing.

"Finally," Ron said, and together they headed quietly down into the living room, listening for Mrs. Weasley. But all was silent. They left through the back door, careful not to let the door slam behind them, and began the walk into town...

* * *

Thirty minutes later, they were once again within sight of the payphone that Ron had become quite familiar with over the past few days. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of it, even though he hadn't had good luck reaching Hermione recently. He had been trying not to worry, but all day he had been running through all the possible things that could have gone wrong to cause her not to be at home, and he sighed as he picked up the phone, eager to hear her voice, but trying not to get his hopes up.

* * *

Hermione burst through the door into the house carrying several bags. She dropped them hastily with all the others they had been lugging from her parents' office and dashed into the kitchen, staring down at the phone, her heart pounding. As usual, there were no messages. She wasn't sure Ron would even know how to leave a message, or if he'd even know that it was possible to do that, so it was no surprise to her that he hadn't... if he had even tried to contact her. She felt so certain all of a sudden however that he had been trying to reach her and that she had simply missed it every time...

She sat at the kitchen table, staring at the phone, willing it to ring. She was so focused on this one task that she didn't even hear her mother calling her until her mother had moved into the kitchen and was staring down at her, looking concerned.

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed, jumping slightly. "What did you say?"

"I asked if you were alright," Mrs. Granger said. "You didn't answer me."

"I'm fine," Hermione said, attempting a smile.

"We're going back to the office," Mrs. Granger continued, still looking concerned. "Are you coming?"

Hermione couldn't speak. She wanted nothing less than to leave the house again and miss the phone call she had been anticipating for days... But she didn't know how to let her mother down. So she said nothing, caught between her thoughts.

"Ready?" came her father's voice as he entered the kitchen behind her mother. And suddenly, the phone rang. Hermione jumped a foot off her chair and lunged for the phone, her heart pounding practically out of her chest.

"Hello?" she said breathlessly.

* * *

"Hermione!" Ron shouted triumphantly into the phone, actually jumping into the air from joy. Harry smirked but Ron paid him no attention.

"Ron!" Hermione laughed a bit hysterically, sounding overwhelmingly relieved.

Ron grinned and closed his eyes for a moment.

"I've been so worried," she admitted. "I was actually sitting by the phone just now hoping you'd call..."

"Really?" Ron asked quietly, still smiling. "I can't believe I finally reached you..."

"You've tried to call me before now?" Hermione asked, sounding nervous.

"Yeah, every night," Ron said. "Well, every morning for you."

"Damn it," Hermione muttered. "Sorry, Mum..." she added, sounding shocked with herself.

Ron heard a brief exchange in the background, but it sounded more amused than annoyed.

"Are your parents in the room?" he asked softly.

"Not anymore," Hermione said through an obvious smile.

"God, I miss you," Ron sighed, ignoring Harry's fake gagging next to him.

"You too," Hermione sighed back.

"You sound tired."

"We've been out every morning moving things from my parents' office before their appointments," Hermione said.

"Explains why you haven't been getting my calls," said Ron.

"I'm so sorry, Ron," Hermione half groaned. "I can't believe how unlucky that was..."

"S'ok," Ron said, grinning. "I'm just glad you answered this time."

"Me too."

They remained silent for a brief moment, listening to each other breathing before Hermione spoke again.

"How's training?" she asked a bit excitedly.

"Rough," Ron admitted, "but it's really going pretty well I guess. Me and Harry are kind of ahead of the rest of them, so I imagine it's even worse for some people than it is for us."

"Are you learning a lot? Do you have a lot to study at night?"

"Not so much to study at home I guess, at least for now, but we've been going over practical spells and stuff in a big meeting room at the Ministry. They have a training course too, kind of like a camp I guess, where we go in the afternoons. But me and Harry actually have to take our Apparition exam on the 25th. I kind of forgot we never passed it."

"Oh, that's right," Hermione said, sounding like she hadn't remembered it either. "Have you studied for that?"

"Nah, we've been Apparating most of the year, haven't we."

"I seem to remember someone complaining about splinching off fingernails, if I'm not mistaken," Hermione joked.

"Funny."

"Just be careful, Ron," Hermione continued in a more serious tone. "I know Auror training is really tough and dangerous and I just..." she trailed off, sighing lightly.

"We'll be careful. Promise," Ron said. "Are you still coming home at the end of the month?"

"Leaving on the 31st if all goes well."

"That seems like a really long time..."

But the recorded message broke into their call suddenly, asking for more Muggle money.

"Already?!" Ron exclaimed, raising his eyebrows. "I don't have any more money, Hermione," Ron added when the message had stopped.

"It's asking for more now?"

"Yeah," Ron said. "You can't hear those messages, can you."

"No."

"I'm going to Gringotts on break tomorrow to change some money so I can call you again tomorrow night. Will you be around?"

"Same time?" Hermione asked quickly.

"Yes," said Ron, nervous that he was going to be disconnected from Hermione at any moment.

The message cut in again, and when it died, Ron pressed the phone more tightly to his ear.

"Are you still there?"

"Yes."

"It's going to disconnect me in a second I think," Ron said in a rush. "I-"

But the phone went dead and a fast beeping sounded in his ear before he could say anything else. Looking annoyed, Ron hung up the phone.

"Better get home before Mum finds out we're missing," Ron said in a depressed tone. Harry followed him as they made their way back down the street, and Ron could almost feel Harry holding his breath so he wouldn't crack another joke about Ron's phone call...

_**May 23, 1998**_

Ron woke a few minutes before his alarm, his heart racing from a confusing nightmare. He had slept more that night than any night before, at least since the last time he had spoken to Hermione. He had to smile at this knowledge, feeling elated by the effect that Hermione obviously had even on his subconscious. Just hearing her voice at night had calmed him and given him a chance at a restful night.

That day at training, he found himself a bit distracted by Hermione, thinking about hearing her voice again soon. At Gringotts, he changed out as much money as he could spare, feeling disappointed by how little Muggle money it translated to and hoping that he'd have enough to make a call each night until Hermione's return home... Ron spent at least fifteen minutes convincing Harry to let him pay back the money he had spent on the calls he'd made so far. In the end, Ron had shoved the money into Harry's hand in a frustrated way, claiming that he'd hex Harry if he didn't take it.

* * *

After supper, Ron made the trip to the payphone alone. Harry agreed to once again keep Ron's mother ignorant of what Ron was doing, though Harry had told Ron that his mother had not asked any questions or become suspicious yet, which made Ron feel a lot more confident and a lot less nervous as he made the twenty minute journey alone, happy when he neared the phone in record time.

Hermione answered after the second ring, and they talked about Ron's day and hers too, happy just to hear each other's voices. Hermione was shocked to hear that Ron would not get a day off for weeks at a time, and that he'd actually be lucky to get one a month for the first year. The rumors about how tough Auror training was had obviously not been false.

All too soon, the message came on demanding more money, and Ron couldn't spare the change to continue the call if he wanted to be able to contact her again every night. He sadly informed Hermione of this and she understood. He returned home feeling tired but peaceful, and he fell into bed quickly, drifting off to sleep after mere seconds.  
_**  
May 27, 1998**_

The past three days had gone much the same as the one before. Ron would spend the day at training, return home for dinner, wait for his mother to become distracted by chores or someone else in the house, and then he'd set off for town, walking briskly towards the payphone and dropping coin after coin into the slot to make the call he looked forward to all day.

But tonight, things were different. Hermione didn't answer. Her mother's voice came on after the fourth ring, the message all too familiar to Ron.

"Damn it," he muttered, hanging up and retrieving his money.

After four failed attempts, he sighed and headed back home, slightly confused. She'd said the night before that she'd be there, that she'd be waiting for his call like usual.

When Ron reached the Burrow, he headed straight upstairs, not even pausing in the living room to say goodnight to Harry and Ginny. As was the case every night, Harry and Ginny had taken up residence on the sofa and were chatting softly, sitting so close that their bodies were pressed together along one side.

Fifteen minutes later, Ron slumped into his bed and rested his head against his pillow, sighing. He was prepared for what was coming, for the nightmares that came without ceasing. And as he slipped out of consciousness, he felt darkness surround him, felt the imminent shift between his waking mind and his vivid, terrifying dreams...

_**May 28, 1998**_

"Ron..."

This voice was not the one of his dreams, the terror inducing screams and sobs he was used to... Though she was the same, it was still _her_...

"Ron..."

This was gentle, almost nervous, and his forehead creased as he tried to place her into the world of his nightmares, but the sound of her speaking his name was too different this time and it would not fit.

He felt a soft weight sink onto his mattress...

His eyes cracked open.

He felt his heartbeat accelerate, his pulse quicken, the speed of his breathing increase, and he sat up. This was familiar, this startled awakening... but...

"H-Hermione?!" Ron whispered, not believing his eyes.

She laughed a bit nervously, a broad smile clearly visible on her face where she sat on the edge of Ron's bed facing him, moonlight illuminating her features. Ron laughed now too, still not entirely convinced that this was real as he scrambled the rest of the way up in his bed, jostling Hermione so she nearly lost her balance and had to grab onto Ron's blanket to catch herself.

"What are you... what..." Ron stammered, staring at her in awe.

"I came back early," Hermione said through her smile.

"So I'm not dreaming?" Ron asked, his heart pounding furiously now. Hermione shook her head. And that one little motion broke the spell, freed Ron from the last remains of sleep. His arms were around her in a flash and she giggled, grabbing tightly onto him too.

He sighed, burying his face in her hair and closing his eyes tightly. Hermione's body was twisted a bit awkwardly to hold onto Ron as firmly as she was, and as he moved his hands against her back, she leaned her full weight against him, toppling them both back into the bed so that she was half on top of him.

She felt his lips move to her neck, an accident at first, but he took full advantage and kissed her there, causing her skin to break out in the most delightful goosebumps.

"You're really here, you're really here," Ron repeated as he squeezed her against his chest.

He rolled onto his side, still holding her body tightly against his own, but he was now able to move his head back enough to look into her eyes. Her head sank lazily into his pillow, her forehead inches from his, an ecstatic smile still plastered to her face, a smile Ron was sure he was mirroring back at her.

"Tell me you're staying overnight," Ron whispered. Hermione's cheeks reddened, visible to Ron even in the dark room.

"My parents won't be here until tomorrow morning," Hermione whispered back.

"Is that a yes?" Ron asked, grinning.

"Yes," Hermione laughed.

Ron's eyes fluttered shut happily and he leaned closer, resting his forehead against hers. But before he opened his eyes again, he felt her lips on his, shocking his eyes back open fully. Grinning against her lips, Ron closed his eyes again, resisting the moan that was trying to escape the back of his throat at the pleasure he was feeling. When they parted, Ron grinned sleepily at Hermione, realizing something...

"I called you earlier and you didn't answer... you were on the plane, weren't you..."

Hermione blushed slightly, but nodded against Ron's pillow.

"I lied to you when I said I'd be around. I already had my plane ticket, and I wanted to surprise you..." she admitted.

"Best surprise ever," Ron mumbled, leaning in to kiss her again.

When they finally parted once more, Ron felt his heavy eyes closing and he pulled Hermione even closer. Her legs twisted together with his and he smiled, drifting off to sleep, knowing that his nightmares were gone for tonight...

Hermione felt herself falling with Ron, being pulled into sleep too quickly. She wanted to stay awake longer, to talk to him, to feel him and kiss him again... but knowing that she was free, that her nightmares would not bother her in her sleep tonight, she felt a peaceful calm overtake her and she soon joined Ron in sleep, dreaming instead of his smile, his eyes, his voice... telling her that he loved her and always would.


End file.
